Effects of Probiotics Added to Some Roughages on in vitro Organic Matter Digestibility and Methane Production

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of probiotics (Lactobacillus rhamnosus, Bifidobacterium lactis and Saccharomyces boulardii) added to some roughages on in vitro methane production. Ground roughage samples added with 0.1% of probiotics were incubated in special glass tubes containing rumen fluid at 39 °C for 24 h. Percentages of methane (CH4) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in total gas produced were measured by using a methane measuring device. Additionally, in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD), amount of ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), metabolic energy (ME) and pH values were also determined. Addition of B. lactis to wheat straw decreased CH4 and CO2 amount and IVOMD while S. boulardii increased the percentage of CH4 and decreased the percentage of CO2. Among probiotics added to grass hay L. rhamnosus increased total gas volume, CH4 volume and IVOMD while it did not affect the percentage of CH4. It was detected that addition of the probiotics to corn silage and alfa alfa roughage did not affect methane and carbondioxyde levels. As a result, except for B. lactis, added to wheat straw, probiotic microorganisms used in the present study increased or did not affect in vitro methane production. The results suggested that decreased methane production in wheat straw added with B. lactis and increased methane production in grass hay added with L. rhamnosus resulted from the affected IVOMD of these roughages due to addition of these probiotics and therefore use of the probiotics in this study was not effective for reducing ruminal methane production