Effect of Nutmeg Meal on Microbial Abundance of Biohydrogenation Process, and Fatty Acid Profile of Goat Rumen Fluid In Vitro

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of nutmeg meal as a source of phenol on the abundance of dominant microbes in the biohydrogenation process and the fatty acid profile of goat rumen fluid in vitro. This study used a randomized complete block design with four treatments and three replicates of in vitro batches, each replicate in duplicate. The dietary treatments consisted of elephant grass (40%), soybean meal (10%), with varying proportion of wheat pollard, canola oil and nutmeg meal hence, treatment P0 (40:10:45:5:0); P1 (40:10:40:5:5); P2 (40:10:35:5:15); P3 (40:10:30:5:10). Fermentation using the in vitro gas production method described by Menke and Steinggas with an incubation period of 48 hours. Parameters observed included microbial abundance and fatty acid profile of goat rumen fluid. The statistical analysis showed that adding nutmeg meal starting at the 5% level decreased the abundance of the main biohydrogenation process bacteria anaerovibrio, butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, and pseudobutyrivibrio. Total saturated fatty acid and stearate fatty acid concentrations decreased (P<0.05), while total unsaturated fatty acid, linoleic and oleic acid concentrations increased (P<0.05).