Sustainable impact of pulp and leaves of Glycyrrhiza glabra to enhance ruminal biofermentability, protozoa population, and biogas production in sheep

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of pulp and leaves of Glycyrrhiza glabra to reduce the ruminal biogas production in sheep. Five experimental diets of two levels of Glycyrrhiza glabra pulp (GGP) and Glycyrrhiza glabra leaves (GGL) at 150 and 300 g/kg dry matter (DM) were assessed for biogas production and fermentation parameters. Diets were control (diet without GGP or GGL), GGP15 (diet contains GGP at 150 g/kg DM), GGP30 (diet contains GGP at 300 g/kg DM), GGL15 (diet contains GGL at 150 g/kg DM), and GGL30 (diet contains GGL at 300 g/kg DM). Inclusion of 150 and 300 g/kg GGP and 300 g/kg GGL decreased (P < 0.0001) asymptotic biogas production (A), fermentation rate (μ), biogas production at 24 h of incubation (GP₂₄), apparent degraded substrate (ADS), in vitro organic matter disappearance (OMD), and metabolizable energy (ME). Microbial protein biomass (MP) was improved (P = 0.003) by GGP15, GGL15, and GGL30 versus control. Total VFAs (P = 0.003), acetate (P = 0.009), and butyrate (P = 0.002), CH₄ (mmol and mL/g OMD), CO₂ (mmol and mL/g OMD) (P = 0.0003 and P = 0.0002, respectively), were decreased in GGP15, GGP30, and GGL30 diets versus control. Acetate to propionate ratio (Ac/Pr) was decreased (P = 0.038) in GGL30 diet compared to other diets. Replacing GGP and GGL with alfalfa reduced NH₃-N concentration (P = 0.022), total protozoa (P < 0.0001), Isotricha spp. (P = 0.047), Dasytricha spp. (P = 0.067), subfamilies of Entodiniinae (P < 0.0001), and Diplodiniinae (P = 0.06). Results suggested that inclusion of dietary GGL at 150 g/kg dry matter positively modified some rumen parameters such as microbial protein production, protozoa population, and NH₃-N concentration, which may be useful economically in ruminant animals and decreasing of environmental pollution.