Animal Nutrition | Legume Plus

Research related to Animal Nutrition

One method for improving nitrogen (N) utilisation by ruminants and reduce greenhouse gases (CH4, N2O), without altering their N and energy value, is to use forages that contain condensed tannins (CT), such as sainfoin. The nutritive value of sainfoin, despite its lower N content than lucerne, is high.

Future research, on the nutritional impact of CT must not only be based on CT content, but also include structure-activity considerations.The results obtained, with sheep at maintenance fed a diet containing only sainfoin need to be tested with producing animals, for example growing sheep and cattle, lactating ewes, goats or cows. In producing animals the diet will comprise different forage sources and supplement feeds. Sainfoin is seldom used as a pure crop and generally, introduced in pasture, in a grass-legume mix with cocksfoot (Dactyle), ryegrass (Lolium) or with other legumes such as red clover, white clover or lucerne. Our results showed the choice of the variety is important. A variety like Esparcette, characterised by the highest CT content, may provide beneficial effects with a lower proportion in a mixture with other legumes. Preserving legumes, as silage, is a good way to provide an on-farm source of home-grown energy and protein, offers advantages over traditional haymaking, being less weather-dependent, and allows a high quality of forage during the harvesting period. In particular, wrapped silage bales of sainfoin have great potential in animal nutrition and can be used by farmers, as found that CT effects were not reduced by this mode of preservation.

Scientific Articles/Findings

Poster Presentations

Current Research on the Potential of Bioactive Legumes for Animal Nutrition and Sustainability

I. Mueller-Harvey - University of Reading

Abstracts of Published Papers

Benefits of condensed tannins in forage legumes fed to ruminants: importance of structure, concentration and diet composition.

Prof. Irene Mueller-Harvey et al - University of Reading

Bioactive forage legumes as a strategy to improve silage quality and minimise nitrogenous losses. Anim. Prod. Sci. 2014, 54, 1826-1829.

G. Copani, C. Ginane, A. Le Morvan and V. Niderkorn

Patterns of in vitro rumen fermentation of silage mixtures including sainfoin and red clover as bioactive legumes. Anim. Feed Sci. Tech. 2015, 208, 220-224.

G. Copani, C. Ginane, A. Le Morvan and V. Niderkorn

Published Papers

Benefits of condensed tannins in forage legumes fed to ruminants: importance 1 of structure, 2 concentration and diet composition

Irene Mueller-Harvey et al - University of Reading

Benefits of Condensed Tannins in Forage Legumes Fed to Ruminants: Importance of Structure, Concentration, and Diet Composition

Irene Mueller-Harvey, Giuseppe Bee, Frigga Dohme-Meier, Hervé Hoste, Maarit Karonen, Roland Kölliker, Andreas Lüscher, Vincent Niderkorn, Wilbert F. Pellikaan, Juha-Pekka Salminen, Leif Skøt, Lydia M.J. Smith, Stig M. Thamsborg, Paul Totterdell, Ian Wilkinson, Andrew R. Williams, Blasius N. Azuhnwi, Nicolas Baert, Anja Grosse Brinkhaus, Giuseppe Copani, Olivier Desrues.

Forty-five years in the rumen; aroma, discovery, and fun

Waghorn, G.

The effects of tannin-containing ground pine bark diet upon nutrient digestion, nitrogen balance, and mineral retention in meat goats.

Min B.R., Solaiman S., Ramsay, A., Terrill, T.H., Mueller-Harvey, I. The effects of tannin-containing ground pine bark diet upon nutrient digestion, nitrogen balance, and mineral retention in meat goats. J. Anim. Sci. Biotechnol. 2015, 6:25 (DOI: 10.1186/s40104-015-0020-5)

Relevant and Pre-existing Material

Bioactive forage legumes, a natural strategy for feeding ruminants and the environment (FR)

G. Copani - INRA

Researching Ways to Improve Nitrogen-Use Efficiency on Dairies Through the Use of Condensed Tannin-Containing Forages - Forage Focus December 2014

Wayne Zeller, John Grabber, U.S. Dairy Forage Centre

Results from The Healthy Hay Project

Diversity of condensed tannin structures affects rumen in vitro methane production in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) accessions. Grass For. Sci.

Hatew B, Hayot Carbonero C, Stringano E, Falco Sales L, Smith LMJ, Mueller-Harvey I, Hendriks WH, Pellikaan WF

Effect of feeding dehydrated and ensiled tanniferous sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) on nitrogen and mineral digestion and metabolism of lambs. Arch. Anim. Nutr. 61:390-405.

ALP, Switzerland - Scharenberg, A., Y. Arrigo, A. Gutzwiller, U. Wyss, H. D. Hess, M. Kreuzer, and F. Dohme. 2007.

Effect of plant development during first and second growth cycle on chemical composition, condensed tannins and nutritive value of three sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) varieties and lucerne. Grass For. Sci. 2011, 66, 402–414.

Theodoridou, K., Aufrère, J., Andueza, D., Le Morvan, A., Picard, F., Stringano, E., Pourrat, J., Mueller-Harvey, I., Baumont, R.

Effect of prolonged feeding of a sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) based diet on methanogenic community in the rumen of dairy cows

Wageningen University - Guglielmelli A1, Perez O, Tiemessen F, Domenis M, Albanese R, Calabrò S, Smidt HS & Pellikaan WF

Effect of wilting, silage additive, PEG treatment and tannin content on the distribution of N between different fractions after ensiling of three different sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) 3 varieties

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - M.M. LORENZ, T. ERIKSSON, P. UDÉN

Effects of condensed tannins in wrapped silage bales of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) on in vivo and in situ digestion in sheep.

INRA - K. Theodoridou, J. Aufrere, D. Andueza, A. Le Morvan, F. Picard, J. Pourrat and R. Baumont. INRA Unite´ de Recherches sur les Herbivores, Centre de Clermont-Ferrand – Theix, 63122, Saint-Gene`s-Champanelle, France.

Ensiling Sainfoin - Influence of variety, wilting, acidification and tannin content

Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences - Martin Lorenz, Torsten Eriksson, Peter Uden.

Evaluating the effects of tannins on the extent and rate of in vitro measured gas and methane production using the Automated Pressure Evaluation System

Wageningen University & Reading University - W.F. Pellikaan, E. Stringano, J. Leenaars, L.J.G.M. Bongers, S. van Laar, J. Plant and I. Mueller Harvey

Evaluating the effects of tannins on the extent and rate of in vitro measured gas and methane production using the Automated Pressure Evaluation System (APES). Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 2011, 166-167, 377-390.

Pellikaan, W.F., Stringano, E., Leenaars, J., Bongers, D.J.G.M., van Laar-van Schuppen, S., Plant, J., Mueller-Harvey, I.

Impact of variation in structure of condensed tannins from sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) on in vitro ruminal methane production and fermentation characteristics. Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition

Hatew, B., Stringano, E., Mueller-Harvey, I., Hendriks, W.H., Hayot Carbonero, C., Smith, LM.J., Pellikaan, W.F.

In vitro fermentation and methane production kinetics of grass and sainfoin using rumen inoculum from dairy cows receiving diets differing in quality

Wageningen University

In vitro study of the effects of condensed tannins in sainfoin on the digestive process in the rumen at two vegetation cycles.

INRA - K. Theodoridou, J. Aufrere, V. Niderkorn, D. Andueza, A. Le Morvan, F. Picard and R. Baumont. INRA Unite´ de Recherches sur les Herbivores, Centre de Clermont-Ferrand – Theix, 63122, Saint-Gene`s-Champanelle, France.

Morphology, tannin concentration and forage value of 15 Swiss accessions of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia Scop.) as influenced by harvest time and cultivation site. Grass Forage Sci.in press.

ALP and ART, Switzerland - Azuhnwi, B. N., B. Boller, M. Martens, F. Dohme-Meier, S. Ampuero, S. Günter, M. Kreuzer, and H. D. Hess. 2011.

Nitrogen and mineral balance of lambs artificially infected with Haemonchus contortus and fed tanniferous sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia).

ALP, Switzerland - Scharenberg, A., F. Heckendorn, Y. Arrigo, H. Hertzberg, A. Gutzwiller, H. D. Hess, M. Kreuzer, and F. Dohme. 2008.

Palatability in sheep and in vitro nutritional value of dried and ensiled sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), and chicory

ALP, Switzerland - Scharenberg, A., Y. Arrigo, A. Gutzwiller, C. R. Soliva, U. Wyss, M. Kreuzer, and F. Dohme. 2007.

Relationship between condensed tannin structures and their ability to precipitate feed proteins in the rumen. J. Sci. Food Agric. 2014, 94, 963-968.

Lorenz, M., Alkhafadji, L., Mueller-Harvey, I., Stringano, E., Nilsson, S., Udén, P.

Ruminal dry matter and nitrogen degradation in relation to condensed tannin and protein molecular structures in sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) and lucerne (Medicago sativa). J. Agric. Sci. (Cambridge) 2014, 152, 333-345.

Aufrère J., Theodoridou K., Mueller-Harvey I., Yu P., Andueza D.

Sainfoin versus alfalfa as supplemtents for grazing cows. Revue suisse Agric. 41[5], 283-288. 2009.

ALP, Switzerland - Arrigo, Y. and F. Dohme.