Effect of Adding Peppermint Oil in Total Gas, Methane Production Gas and Invitro Digestibility

The study was carried out in animal feeding laboratory/Department of Animal Production the college of Agriculture, University of Baghdad for the period from 2016/11/1 to 2017/4/1. Peppermint oil was added by 0, 70, 140 and 280 μl/kg dry matter mixture ration (concentrated 20% and alfalfa hay 80%), to study the effect on total gas, methane production and invitro digestibility. The results as follows: A significant decreased (p<0.01) was found in total gas production, which was lower after 12 hr. were 26.55 ml/200 gm dry matter in T4 compared to T1 (control), while methane production were significantly decreased (p<0.01) in T2, T3 and T4, respectively, with adding 70, 140 and 280 μl/kg dry matter compared with T1. After 24 and 48 hr. of incubation, T4 recorded the lowest volume of total gas while methane production was a significant decreased (p<0.01) in the T3 and T4, for both periods compared to T1 treatment, after 72 hr. of incubation period treatment T4 recorded is lost significant decreased (p˂0.01)in methane gas production compared to the treatment T1.

The results showed increased significantly (p<0.01) in the invitro digestibility of dry matter and of metabolizable energy in T2 and T3 except T4 and increased (p<0.01) in the T2 treatment in the invitro digestibility of organic matter except T4. We conclude that addition of peppermint oil to the ration diet has given better results in reducing the production of total and methane gas and led to a significant improvement in invitro digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and of metabolizable energy.