Effect of Mustard Oil and Glucosinolate on Rumen Fermentation

In an in vitro experiment, response of the addition of graded levels of mustard oil at 0, (T1), 1.67 (T2), 3.28, (T3), 4.58 (T4) and 6.36 (T5) per cent of mustard cake did mot influence the TVFA concentration or molar percentage of individual VFA'S but the percentage of methane In total gas was reduced with the increase in the level of mustard oil. Total gas and CO production increased (P<0.0) in treatments T2 & T3 than in T1, but differences among T3, T4 and T5 were nonsignificant. Synthesis of microbial protein also increased with the increasing level of mustard oil. In another in vitro experiment, addition of different levels of glucosinolate (extracted from mustard cake) viz. 0(T1), 9(T2), 18(T3), 27(T3) and 4S(T5) ntgin the incubation medium did notadversely affect TVFA concentration. Molar proportion of propionate increased significantly in treatments T4 and T5 than those in T1, T2 and T3. Higher microbial activity in treatments T2 T3 T4 and T5 in comparison to T1 was manifested from higher total gas production including methane and microbial protein synthesis.