
58
_________________________ Revista Cientíca, FCV-LUZ / Vol. XXXIII, Supl. Esp., 58 - 59, 2023, https://doi.org/10.52973/rcfcv-wbc005
BUFFALO FEED EFFICIENCY: OPTIMIZING THE USE OF FIBROUS
BIOMASS CARBON TO ENHANCE PRODUCTION WHILE
MITIGATING RUMEN METHANE EMISSION
Eciencia alimenticia para búfalos: optimización del uso de carbono de biomasa brosa
para mejorar la producción y al mismo tiempo mitigar la emisión de metano en el rumen
Metha Wanapat
Tropical Feed Resources Research and Development Center, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen
University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand.
Corresponding e-mail: Metha WanapatCorresponding e-mail: Metha Wanapat metha@kku.ac.th
such as the urea-lime (2+2% U-lime) has been successfully
exploited to enhance the crude protein content and digestibili-
ty of nutrients while mitigating the rumen methane production.
The U-lime treated rice straw and supplementation of phyto-
nutrient fruit-peel pellets (MARABAC) have signicantly im-
proved rumen fermentation in the ruminants. Therefore, dietary
manipulation based on the pre-treatment of the brous feeds
and supplementation of phytonutrient pellets should be more
intervened. Furthermore, the feeding interventions based on
the use of locally available resources should be extensively
exploited, focusing on the hands-on establishment (E), devel-
opment (D), utilization (U), and sustainability (S) (EDUS) for
all engaged stakeholders of farm level up to the industrial plat-
form, ultimately, the bualo production scenario would be eco-
nomically viable and environmentally friendly system.
Keywords: Ruminant, smart converter, net-zero, biomass, an-
imal protein-based food, biogenic methane.
RESUMEN
Los búfalos son uno de los rumiantes importantes que contri-
buyen a la seguridad alimentaria en forma de carne y leche,
así como sus subproductos como piel, cuernos y estiércol. Se
ha revelado que la carne, la leche y sus productos de búfa-
la tienen altos valores nutritivos, especialmente los perles
de proteínas y aminoácidos y algunos compuestos bioactivos
esenciales para la salud y el bienestar. Por encima de todo,
los búfalos son rumiantes ecientes a la hora de convertir los
alimentos ricos en bra, en particular la biomasa agrícola y los
subproductos industriales, al mejorar los productos nales de
la fermentación ruminal a través de la vía anaeróbica Emb-
den-Meyerhof-Parnas y al mismo tiempo mitigar la emisión de
ABSTRACT
Bualoes are one of the important ruminants contributing to
food security in the form of meat and milk, as well as their
by-products such as skin, horns, and manure. The bualo’s
meat, milk, and their products have been revealed to have high
nutritious values, especially the protein and amino acids pro-
les and some essential bioactive compounds for health and
well-being. Above all, the bualoes are the smart ruminants in
converting the high brous feeds, in particular, the agricultural
biomass and industrial by-products, by enhancing the rumen
fermentation end-products via the anaerobic Embden-Mey-
erhof-Parnas pathway while mitigating rumen methane emis-
sion. Concerning the rumen microbiomes of bualoes, it has
been reported that they were highly diversied and relatively
higher-abundant compared to cattle, leading to enhanced to-
tal volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and lower methane production,
the biogenic methane. The current advanced analysis using
Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) of rumen microbiomes
oered a more insightful understanding of their ability to de-
grade more brous feeds, especially agricultural crop residues,
low-quality roughages, and some plastic materials. Relative
abundances of the predominant bacterial population have been
found under the phyla; Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes such as
Ruminococcus albus, Ruminococcus avefeciens, and Fibro-
bacter succinogenes and Prevotella ruminocola. Enormous
agricultural biomass has been commonly available globally as
a result of crop cultivation, especially those of straws, stovers,
vines, and tops, as well as industrial by-products such as pine-
apple peels, cassava pulp, sugarcane bagasse, sorghum res-
idues. Despite their abundance, their nutritive values contain
a low crude protein level, and high lignocellulosic is addition-
ally encountered. Hence, simple and practical pre-treatment