The effect of fenugreek seed cotyledon extract (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.) supplementation on feedlot beef cattle production

Date
2022-12
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
Abstract
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Globally, beef producers are constantly improving and expanding their production systems to keep up with the demand for beef. Consumer preferences further pressure producers to reduce chemicals as additives in favour of a more natural approach. This natural approach includes the use of effective natural “in-feed” additives to improve parameters like dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion and manipulating microbe in the rumen to improve the animal productivity and eliminate harmful microorganisms. Consumer concern about the use of growth promoters and “infeed” antibiotics to prevent disease and increased feed efficiency, has propelled animal scientists to research natural alternatives to replace growth promoters and antibiotics. Supplementing animals with fenugreek extract have showed promising improvement in production parameters of dairy cows. A study done by Prof Cruywagen and a student of him, where they included fenugreek extract in the diet of the animals, resulted in increased daily milk yields. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of dietary fenugreek extract on the production parameters and meat quality of beef feedlot cattle In the first part of the study, the effect of two different diets were evaluated under feedlot conditions and included a control, without fenugreek and a trial, with 120g of NutrifenPLUS® per animal per day which was included in the basal feedlot diet. NutrifenPLUS® is the commercial product used in the study and is a combination of fenugreek cotyledon extract (Trigonella foenum Graecum), fennel seeds (Foeniculum vulgane), saw palmetto berries (Serenoa repens), brown kelp (Laminariales), a natural source of methylsulfonylmethane (MSM) and white distilled vinegar powder. The two diets were fed to 24 Angus bulls (12 bulls per treatment) for 90 experimental days. Starting weight (kg), final weight (kg), DMI (kg/animal/day), total weight gain (kg), average daily gain (kg) and FCR (kg) parameters were determined. The results obtained from the experiment showed no significant differences between the fenugreek and the control treatments in any of the phases for starting weight (kg), final weight (kg), total weight gain (kg), ADG (kg) and FCR. A significant difference (P< 0.04) was however observed during the finisher phase (include Zilmax® - zilpaterol hydrochloride) where the total gain was negatively impacted by the addition of fenugreek. In the second part of the study, the effect of two different diets were evaluated under pasture rearing conditions and consisted of a control group without fenugreek extract and a trial with 120g of NutrifenPLUS® per animal per day in a supplementary basal diet. The two diets were fed to 28 cross-Brahman bulls (14 bulls per treatment) for 90 experimental days. Parameters determined included starting weight (kg), final weight (kg), total weight gain (kg), DMI (kg/animal/day), FCR, feed cost (R), weaner cost (R), carcass income (R) and margin/head (R). The results conducted from the experiment showed no significant differences between the fenugreek and the control treatments for starting weight (kg), final weight (kg), total weight gain (kg), DMI (kg), FCR (kg), feed cost (R), weaner cost (R), carcass income (R) or the margin/head (R) when compared over the total feed period. The results indicate that the addition of fenugreek had no significant effects on the parameters measured. The results found in the study suggest that additional research is required to further investigate the effect of dietary fenugreek extract on the production parameters and meat quality of beef cattle. Different rates of inclusion and different circumstances might however produce different results from that of the current study and should be evaluated in future studies.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Beesvleisprodusente is wêreldwyd geforseer om produksie te optimalseer om aan verhoogde beesvleisaanvraag te voldoen. Produsente word verder deur verbruikersaandrang aangemoeding om meer natuurlike byvoegings te gebruik ten einde produktiwiteit te verbeter. Hierdie sluit die gebruik van effektiewe natuurlike bymiddels in veevoer in om droëmateriaal inname (DMI), voerdoeltreffendheid en rumen mikrobiese werking te verbeter ten einde die diere se produktiwiteit te verhoog en om die nadelege effek van skadelike mikroorganismes te verminder.Toenemende verbruikersweerstand teen die gebruik van chemiese groeibevorderaars en antibiotika in veevoere dryf huidige navorsing ten opsigte van natuurliker opsies om steeds aanvaarbare diereprestasie te bewerkstellig. Fenugreekekstrak dieetaanvulling het belowende resultate met melkkoeie (verhoogde melkproduksie) getoon. Prof Cruywagen en sy student het in die bogenoemde studie verhoogde daaglikse melkproduksie in liters per koei per dag ervaar met die insluiting van fenugreekekstrak in die diete van die koeie. Die eertse deel van die studie is uitgevoer om die effek van fenugreek op produksieparameters en vleiskwaliteit van voerkraalbeeste te evalueer. Die eerste deel van die studie was daarop gemik om die invloed van twee verskillende diëte in ‘n voerkraal te ondersoek. Dit het bestaan uit ‘n kontrole met geen Fenugreekekstrak en n proef met 120g NutrifenPLUS® per dier per dag in ‘n totaal gemengde dieet. NutrifenPLUS® is fenugreekekstrak (Trigonella foenum Graecum) gekombineer met vinkelsade (Foeniculum vulgane), Palmetto bessies (Serenoa repens), bruin kelp (Laminariales), natuurlike bron van metielsulfonielmetaan (MSM) en wit gedistilleerde asynpoeier.Parameters bepaal het aanvangsmassa (kg), finale massa (kg), droëmateriaal inname (DMI) (kg/dierdag), totale massatoename (kg), gemiddelde daaglikse toename (GDT) (kg) en voeromsetverhouding van voerkraal vleisbeeste ingesluit. Die twee diëte is vir 90 dae aan 24 Angus bulle (12 bule per behandeling) gevoer. Die resultate het geen betekenisvolle verskille in aanvangsmassa (kg), finale massa (kg), DMI (kg), gemiddelde daaglikse toename (GDT) (kg) of voeromsetverhouding tussen die fenugreek groep en die kontrole groep vir enige van die verskillende fases aangedui nie. Daar is wel 'n betekenisvolle (P < 0.04) verskil in totale massatoename (kg) tydens die afrond met Zilmax® fase, waar die totale groei (kg) negatief deur fenugreek aanvulling beinvloed is. Die tweede deel van die studie was daarop gemik om die invloed van twee verskillende diëte op weiding te ondersoek. Die kontrole sonder Fenugreek en proefgroep met 120 g NutrifenPLUS®/dier dag ingesluit ‘n basale aanvullende dieet. Parameters bepaal en het aanvangsmassa (kg), finale massa (kg), totale massatoename (kg), DMI (kg/dier/dag), voeromsetverhouding, weidingskoste (R), speenkalfkoste (R), karkasinkomste (R) en marge/kop (R) ondersoek. Die 2 diëte is vir 90 dae aan 28 Brahman kruisbulle (14 bulle per behandeling) gevoer. Die resultate het geen betekenisvolle verskille in aanvangsmassa (kg), finale massa (kg), totale massatoename (kg), DMI, voeromsettingsverhouding, voerkoste (R), speenkalfkoste (R), karkasinkomste (R) of marge/kop (R) gelewer nie. Hierdie resultate toon dat die insluiting van fenugreek geen betekenisvolle effek op al die gemete parameters uitgeoefen h nie. Hierdie resultate dui daarop dat verdere toekomstige navorsing nodig is om die invloed van dieet-fenugreek op die produksieparameters en vleiskwaliteit van vleisbeeste te bepaal. Verskillende insluitingpeile van NutrifenPLUS® en onder ander omstandighede mag moontlik verskillende resultate lew en behoort in die toekoms ondersoek te word.
Description
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2022.
Keywords
Cattle production, Feedlots, Fenugreek -- Seeds, Cotyledon extract, Meat -- Quality, Cattle -- Feeding and feeds, Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum), Dietary supplements, UCTD
Citation