Cited by 48Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive PhysiologyAnimal Nutrition and PhysiologyMilk Quality and Mastitis in Dairy Cows

Effect of dried oregano (Origanum vulgare L.) plant material in feed on methane production, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and milk fatty acid composition in dairy cows

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Olijhoek, D.W., Hellwing, A.L.F., Grevsen, K., Haveman, L.S., Chowdhury, M.R., Løvendahl, P., Weisbjerg, M.R., Noel, S.J. +3 more·2019·Journal of Dairy Science

Abstract

Essential oils (EO) from oregano may have antimicrobial properties, potentially representing a methane mitigation strategy suitable for organic production. This study aimed to (1) examine the potential of oregano in lowering enteric methane production of dairy cows fed differing levels of dried oregano (Origanum vulgare ssp. hirtum) plant material containing high levels of EO; (2) determine whether differing levels of dried oregano plant material of another subspecies (Origanum vulgare ssp. vulgare) with naturally low levels of EO in feed affected enteric methane production; and (3) evaluate the effect of various levels of the 2 oregano subspecies (containing high or low levels of EO) in feed on rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, and milk fatty acids. Each experiment had a 4 × 4 Latin square design using 4 lactating Danish Holstein dairy cows that had rumen, duodenal, and ileal cannulas and were fed 4 different levels of oregano. Experiment 1 used low EO oregano [0.12% EO of oregano dry matter (DM)] and evaluated a control (C) diet with no oregano and 3 oregano diets with 18 (low; L), 36 (medium; M), and 53 g of oregano DM/kg of dietary DM (high; H). Experiment 2 used high EO oregano (4.21% EO of oregano DM) with 0, 7, 14, and 21 g of oregano DM/kg of dietary DM for C, L, M, and H, respectively. Oregano was added to the diets by substituting grass/clover silage on a DM basis. Low or high EO oregano in feed did not affect dry matter intake (DMI) or methane production (grams per day, grams per kilogram of DMI, grams per kilogram of energy-corrected milk, and percentage of gross energy intake). Rumen fermentation was slightly affected by diet in experiment 1, but was not affected by diet in experiment 2. In both experiments, the apparent total-tract digestibility of DM, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber decreased linearly and cubically (a cubic response was not observed for neutral detergent fiber) with increasing dietary oregano content, while milk fatty acids were slightly affected. In conclusion, dried oregano plant material with either high or low levels of EO did not lower the methane production of dairy cows over 4 consecutive days, and no substantial effects were observed on rumen fermentation or nutrient digestibility. This conclusion regarding methane production is in contrast with literature and requires further study.

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  • Some studies showed contrary findings: feeding oregano essential oil did not reduce CH4 yield and had no effect on animal performance and rumen fermentation.

    “Some studies involving supplementation of EO in ruminants have shown contrary findings as the feeding of oregano EO did not reduce CH4 yield together with no effect on animal performance and rumen fermentation (240, 248).”

    From Phytogenic Additives Can Modulate Rumen Microbiome to Mediate Fermentation Kinetics and Methanogenesis Through Exploiting Diet–Microbe Interaction (2020) · cites this paper as [248]

    The Abstract reports no reduction in methane yield from dried oregano with high or low essential-oil content, and the Rumen Fermentation and milk-production results show no effects on those measures in the high-essential-oil experiment. But the cows were fed dried oregano plant material, not oregano essential oil itself. The low-essential-oil experiment also found changes in some rumen measures and milk yield, so the blanket statement of no effects is too broad. (LLM, conf=0.88)

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Authors
Olijhoek, D. W., Hellwing, A. L. F., Grevsen, K., Haveman, L. S., Chowdhury, M. R., Løvendahl, P., Weisbjerg, M. R., Noel, S. J., Højberg, O., Wiking, L., & Lund, P.
Affiliations
Aarhus University (DK)
Corresponding author
Olijhoek, D.W.
Venue
Journal of Dairy Science
Published
2019-11
Volume
102
Issue
11
Pages
9902-9918
ISSN
0022-0302 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2971579007
Cited by
48
References
56
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 5 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 1
FWCI
7.71
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of Dairy Science (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders
  • Aarhus Universitet
  • Grønt Udviklings- og Demonstrations Program
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 › Agronomy and Crop Science › Milk Quality and Mastitis in Dairy Cows
Keywords
oregano, essential oils, enteric methane mitigation, dairy cattle, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility, milk fatty acid composition, organic dairy farming, feed additives, Holstein cows, dry matter intake, neutral detergent fiber digestibility, rumen cannula, ileal cannula, antimicrobial feed additives
MeSH terms
Nutrients, Animals, Energy Intake, Cattle, Diet, Dietary Fiber, Digestion, Fatty Acids, Female, Fermentation, Poaceae, Lactation, Methane, Milk, Rumen, Silage, Origanum

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