A route to decreasing N pollution from livestock: Use of Festulolium hybrids improves efficiency of N flows in rumen simulation fermenters

Excessive protein loss from fresh forage feeds is a problem for ruminant agriculture. Festulolium hybrids identified with lower endogenous induced proteolysis in response to rumen conditions also demonstrated improved N flows in rumen ‐simulating fermenters and decreased ammonia production with no negative impact on microbial protein synthesis. These hybrids offer considerable potential for decreasing the environmental impact of ruminant agriculture. AbstractRuminant agriculture suffers from inefficient capture of forage protein and consequential release of N pollutants to land. This is due to proteolysis in the rumen catalyzed by both microbial but initially endogenous plant proteases. Plant breeding ‐based solutions are sought to minimize these negative environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to perform an integrated study of rumen N metabolism using semi‐continuous rumen simulation fermenters (Rusitec) to explore the extent to which swards containingFestulolium populations (interspecific hybrids betweenLolium andFestuca grass species) with decreased rates of endogenous protein degradation conferred advantageous protein utilization in comparison with a National Listed perennial ryegrass. An in vitro experiment was conducted using threeFestulolium hybrids (Lolium perenne × Festuca arundinacea var. glaucescens, LpFg;Lolium perenne × Festuca mairei, LpFm; andLolium multiflorum × Festuca arundinacea var. glaucescens, LmFg) and aLolium perenne, Lp control...
Source: Food and Energy Security - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source Type: research