The Effects of Use Medicinal Plants on Rumen Fermentation Parameters in Ruminants

Rumen is a persistent and specific ecosystem consists of bacteria, protozoa and fungus where feed fermentation takes place in it. Produced Hydrogen in rumen can be used in the synthesis of the volatile fatty acids and the microbial protein and its excess would be eliminated through the production of Methane by methanogenesis. Nutritionists have tried to find ways to decrease loss and energy and protein, increase synthesis of microbial protein and the ability of fiber digestion in the rumen through manipulating the rumen’s fermentation processes. Hence, changing microbial ecosystem of the rumen by the use of proper feed additives could lead to the reduction of Methane and Nitrogen production and excretion and improve the performance of Ruminants. According to accomplished studies Ionophores increase the efficiency of the use of energy and the protein of feed effectively in rumen but with regard to antibiotic usage ban by European Union in January 2006 and public acceptability reduction of using these compounds in animal nutrition, animal nutritionists decided to use other alternative compounds, spending rumen microbial population control and creating proper changes in rumen fermentation. In recent years the use of herbs as growth stimulus is increasingly considered. The results of this study demonstrate that using of medicine plants effects positively rumen performance and pH, methane production reduction and ammoniac nitrogen concentration, protein metabolism and rumen microbial population improvement and volatile fatty acids production increase.