Effect of Zingiber officinale on ruminal fermentation and production of methane in vitro

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dried ginger rhizome (RSJ) on in vitro ruminal fermentation, methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) production. The treatments were diets with 0, 1, 3, 5, 10, 20 and 40% RSJ incubated for 72 h in an in vitro fermentation with ruminal fluid collected from two male steers. Dry matter degradability (DMS), gas production (PG), CH4 and CO2, maximum gas volume (Vmax), lag phase (L), fermentation rate (S), metabolizable energy (ME) and partition factor (FP) were evaluated in an experiment with a randomized block experimental design, with three blocks and nine repetitions. Vmax and EM significantly decreased with 10% or higher RSJ (P <= 0.05), while FP increased at 20 and 40%. The accumulated PG decreased at 18 h of incubation and onwards with 10, 20 and 40% RSJ (P <= 0.05). The DMS decreased after 24 h with 40% RSJ (P <= 0.05). CH4 production and concentration decreased with 5% RSJ in the diet (P <= 0.05), without further reduction at higher concentrations of RSJ. Inclusion of 5% RSJ in the diet decreases CH4 production and concentration without negatively affecting other ruminal fermentation variables.