Cited by 1,014Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive PhysiologyAnimal Nutrition and PhysiologyEssential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity

Invited review: essential oils as modifiers of rumen microbial fermentation

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Calsamiglia, S., Busquet, M., Cardozo, P.W., Castillejos, L., Ferret, A.·2007·Journal of Dairy Science

Abstract

Microorganisms in the rumen degrade nutrients to produce volatile fatty acids and synthesize microbial protein as an energy and protein supply for the ruminant, respectively. However, this fermentation process has energy (losses of methane) and protein (losses of ammonia N) inefficiencies that may limit production performance and contribute to the release of pollutants to the environment. Antibiotic ionophores have been very successful in reducing these energy and protein losses in the rumen, but the use of antibiotics in animal feeds is facing reduced social acceptance, and their use has been banned in the European Union since January 2006. For this reason, scientists have become interested in evaluating other alternatives to control specific microbial populations to modulate rumen fermentation. Essential oils can interact with microbial cell membranes and inhibit the growth of some gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. As a result of such inhibition, the addition of some plant extracts to the rumen results in an inhibition of deamination and methanogenesis, resulting in lower ammonia N, methane, and acetate, and in higher propionate and butyrate concentrations. Results have indicated that garlic oil, cinnamaldehyde (the main active component of cinnamon oil), eugenol (the main active component of the clove bud), capsaicin (the active component of hot peppers), and anise oil, among others, may increase propionate production, reduce acetate or methane production, and modify proteolysis, peptidolysis, or deamination in the rumen. However, the effects of some of these essential oils are pH and diet dependent, and their use may be beneficial only under specific conditions and production systems. For example, capsaicin appears to have small effects in high-forage diets, whereas the changes observed in high-concentrate diets (increases in dry matter intake and total VFA, and reduction in the acetateto-propionate ratio and ammonia N concentration) may be beneficial. Because plant extracts may act at different levels in the carbohydrate and protein degradation pathways, their careful selection and combination may provide a useful tool to manipulate rumen microbial fermentation effectively. However, additional research is required to establish the optimal dose in vivo in units of the active component, to consider the potential adaptation of microbial populations to their activities, to examine the presence of residues in the products (milk or meat), and to demonstrate improvements in animal performance.

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Crossref · 10.3168/jds.2006-644

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Authors
Calsamiglia, S., Busquet, M., Cardozo, P. W., Castillejos, L., & Ferret, A.
Affiliations
Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ES)
Corresponding author
Calsamiglia, S.
Venue
Journal of Dairy Science
Published
2007-06
Volume
90
Issue
6
Pages
2580-2595
ISSN
0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2062296001
Cited by
1,014
References
93
Citations by year
2026: 60 · 2025: 66 · 2024: 85 · 2023: 74 · 2022: 63 · 2021: 75 · 2020: 60 · 2019: 73 · 2018: 53 · 2017: 55 · 2016: 48 · 2015: 47 · 2014: 58 · 2013: 40 · 2012: 45
FWCI
4.77
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Dairy Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Agronomy and Crop Science › Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Animal Science and Zoology › Animal Nutrition and Physiology
  • Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity
Keywords
essential oils, rumen fermentation, plant extracts, methane mitigation, ammonia nitrogen, volatile fatty acids, propionate, acetate, deamination, garlic oil, cinnamaldehyde, eugenol, capsaicin, anise oil, antibiotic alternatives, rumen degradability, ruminant nutrition
MeSH terms
Ammonia, Animals, Animal Feed, Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Bacteria, Diet, Fermentation, Methane, Oils, Volatile, Plant Extracts, Rumen

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