The unique microbial ecosystem of the rumen allows cattle, sheep, and goats to utilize feed materials that have no value to other animals. However, this comes at a cost with the production of waste products such as methane and ammonia. Reducing the production of these waste products is a unique way to improve rumen efficiency. Recent studies have identified plant extracts that have this ability. The two most potent, derived from garlic and cinnamon, are the ingredients of CinnaGar. A novel encapsulation technology allows us to deliver these ingredients into the rumen to improve the performance of ruminant livestock.
Plant extracts are natural volatile compounds obtained from plant products. They are either extracted by steam water distillation or by enzymatic activity followed by steam water distillation. Plant extracts contain active components that give the oils their properties. Currently, about 2,600 molecules have been identified in plant extracts, and some of these have been shown to favorably influence rumen fermentation. Plant extracts from garlic and cinnamon are of particular interest.
Benefits Of Garlic
In laboratory studies, garlic has been shown to inhibit the production of methane, saving energy that the cow can utilize for milk production and simultaneously limiting the emission of an important greenhouse gas. Lower methane production leads to an increase in the proportion of propionate in the mix of volatile fatty acids (VFA) produced by the rumen (Table 1). This is favorable to both milk yield and milk protein synthesis.
Benefits Of Cinnamon
Cinnamon slows down the breakdown of peptides and amino acids through its interaction with certain bacterial species. This results in an increased availability of peptides and amino acids, which stimulate the growth of many important rumen bacteria. The production of ammonia, a waste product and pollutant, is reduced. The net result is an increase in the synthesis of microbial protein (Table 2) and a reduction in the concentration of urea nitrogen in blood and milk.
Encapsulation – Protected Plant Extracts
The use of plant extracts in ruminants is very difficult due to the environment of the rumen, which can consume all plant extracts within minutes after feeding. Therefore, Vigortone now offers CinnaGar: the active ingredients of garlic and cinnamon encapsulated by a patent-pending technique. The encapsulation ensures a slow release of CinnaGar in the rumen to maximize its effect on the microbial flora. The encapsulation also protects the product against the evaporation of the volatile protected plant extracts during feed manufacture, storage, and use.
Cinnagar In Practice
Vigortone field trials in three herds and 346 cows from
Minnesota, Pennsylvania,
and Wisconsin showed:
