Digestion, ruminal fermentation and microbial nitrogen supply in sheep fed soybean meal treated with Cistus ladanifer L. tannins

Three rumen-cannulated rams were used in a 3×3 Latin square experiment to evaluate the effect of a condensed tannin (CT) extract of Cistus ladanifer L. on apparent digestibility, N balance, rumen microbial N supply, ruminal fermentation characteristics, in sacco rumen degradability and in vitro intestinal digestibility (ivID) of soybean meal. The rams were fed with diets consisting of 600g of oat straw, 300g of manioc and 100g of soybean meal treated with 0, 15 and 30g/kg of Cistus CT, resulting in three treatments: control (SC), medium (SM) and high condensed tannins (SH).