VetSRev
Database of veterinary systematic reviews
Database of veterinary systematic reviews
Sustainability (2021) 13:
DOI: 10.3390/su13137410
The environmental sustainability of beef production is a significant concern within the food production system. Tannins (TANs) can be used to minimize the environmental impact of ruminant production because they can improve ruminal fermentation and ruminants’ lifetime performances and mitigate methane (CH_\textrm4) emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with TANs as sustainable natural alternative to reduce the environmental impact on growth performance, rumen fermentation, enteric CH_\textrm4 emissions, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency of beef cattle through a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of studies published in scientific journals that investigated the effects of TANs’ supplementation on the variables of interest was performed using the Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. The data analyzed were extracted from 32 peer-reviewed publications. The effects of TANs were assessed using random-effects statistical models to examine the standardized mean difference (SMD) between TANs’ treatments and control (non-TANs). The heterogeneity was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analysis was performed for the covariates that were significant. TANs’ supplementation did not affect weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, or N use efficiency (p \textgreater 0.05). However, it reduced the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in rumen (SMD = -0.508, p \textless 0.001), CH_\textrm4 emissions per day (SMD = -0.474, p \textless 0.01) and per unit dry matter intake (SMD = -0.408, p \textless 0.01), urinary N excretion (SMD = -0.338, p \textless 0.05), and dry matter digestibility (SMD = -0.589, p \textless 0.001). Ruminal propionate (SMD = 0.250) and butyrate (SMD = 0.198) concentrations and fecal N excretion (SMD = 0.860) improved in response to TANs’ supplementation (p \textless 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible to use TANs as a CH_\textrm4 mitigation strategy without affecting cattle growth rate. In addition, the shift from urinary to fecal N may be beneficial for environment preservation, as urinary N induces more harmful emissions than fecal N. Therefore, the addition of tannins in the diet of beef cattle could be used as a sustainable natural alternative to reduce the environmental impact of beef production.
Orzuna-Orzuna, J. F., Dorantes-Iturbide, G., Lara-Bueno, A., Mendoza-Martinez, G. D., Miranda-Romero, L. A., & Hernandez-Garcia, P. A. (2021). Effects of dietary Tannins’ supplementation on growth performance, rumen fermentation, and enteric methane emissions in beef cattle: a meta-analysis. Sustainability, 13(13). https://doi.org/10.3390/su13137410 cattle, meta-analysis, Animal Nutrition (Production Responses) [LL520], beef cattle, liveweight gain, liveweight gains, Animal Nutrition (Physiology) [LL510], cattle feeding, diets, Mathematics and Statistics [ZZ100], Meat Producing Animals [LL120], dry matter, rumen fermentation, growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, feed intake, environmental impact, feed additives, emissions, methane production, performance, digestibility, excretion, beef production, air pollution, Feed Additives [RR130], environmental effects, Pollution and Degradation [PP600], urine, Animal Wastes [XX100], Horticultural Crops [FF003], Plant Composition [FF040], faeces composition, feces composition, atmospheric pollution, tannic acid, tannins, ammonia nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, nitrogen metabolism