Effects of Dietary Tannins’ Supplementation on Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation, and Enteric Methane Emissions in Beef Cattle: A Meta-Analysis

José Felipe Orzuna-Orzuna, Griselda Dorantes-Iturbide, Alejandro Lara-Bueno, Germán David Mendoza-Martínez, Luis Alberto Miranda-Romero and Pedro Abel Hernández-García
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José Felipe Orzuna-Orzuna: Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo 56230, Mexico
Griselda Dorantes-Iturbide: Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo 56230, Mexico
Alejandro Lara-Bueno: Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo 56230, Mexico
Germán David Mendoza-Martínez: Departamento de Producción Agrícola y Animal, Unidad Xochimilco, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Mexico City 04960, Mexico
Luis Alberto Miranda-Romero: Departamento de Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma Chapingo, Chapingo 56230, Mexico
Pedro Abel Hernández-García: Centro Universitario UAEM Amecameca, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Mexico, Amecameca 56900, Mexico

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 13, 1-27

Abstract: The environmental sustainability of beef production is a significant concern within the food production system. Tannins (TANs) can be used to minimize the environmental impact of ruminant production because they can improve ruminal fermentation and ruminants’ lifetime performances and mitigate methane (CH 4 ) emissions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with TANs as sustainable natural alternative to reduce the environmental impact on growth performance, rumen fermentation, enteric CH 4 emissions, and nitrogen (N) use efficiency of beef cattle through a meta-analysis. A comprehensive search of studies published in scientific journals that investigated the effects of TANs’ supplementation on the variables of interest was performed using the Scopus, Web of Science, and PubMed databases. The data analyzed were extracted from 32 peer-reviewed publications. The effects of TANs were assessed using random-effects statistical models to examine the standardized mean difference (SMD) between TANs’ treatments and control (non-TANs). The heterogeneity was explored by meta-regression and subgroup analysis was performed for the covariates that were significant. TANs’ supplementation did not affect weight gain, feed consumption, feed efficiency, or N use efficiency ( p > 0.05). However, it reduced the concentration of ammonia nitrogen in rumen (SMD = −0.508, p < 0.001), CH 4 emissions per day (SMD = −0.474, p < 0.01) and per unit dry matter intake (SMD = −0.408, p < 0.01), urinary N excretion (SMD = −0.338, p < 0.05), and dry matter digestibility (SMD = −0.589, p < 0.001). Ruminal propionate (SMD = 0.250) and butyrate (SMD = 0.198) concentrations and fecal N excretion (SMD = 0.860) improved in response to TANs’ supplementation ( p < 0.05). In conclusion, it is possible to use TANs as a CH 4 mitigation strategy without affecting cattle growth rate. In addition, the shift from urinary to fecal N may be beneficial for environment preservation, as urinary N induces more harmful emissions than fecal N. Therefore, the addition of tannins in the diet of beef cattle could be used as a sustainable natural alternative to reduce the environmental impact of beef production.

Keywords: feed efficiency; bioactive compounds; climate change; meta-regression; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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