Effect of Feeding Ficus infectoria Leaves on Rumen Microbial Profile and Nutrient Utilization in Goats

A feeding trial was conducted to study the effect of tannin rich Pakar (Ficus infectoria) leaves on microbial profile, rumen fermentation and nutrient utilization in goats. Eight goats divided in two groups were fed pakar leaves (experimental group) and green oats (control group) as sole roughage source along with a fixed quantity of concentrate mixture for a period of 3 months. Two metabolic trials of six days duration were conducted after 30 and 90 days of experimental feeding. The dry matter intake was significantly higher (p<0.05) and digestibility's of DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF and ADF were reduced in experimental as compared with the control group. The TDN intake was similar (236.52 vs. 240.39 g/d) in both the groups. All the animals were in positive nitrogen balance. The concentration of ammonia nitrogen, TVFA, lactic acid and activities of xylanase and protease were reduced in pakar leaves fed goats. The rumen microbial profile as obtained by MPN technique showed no change in total bacterial population but total fungi and cellulolytic bacteria were reduced (p<0.05), whereas, tannin degrading/tolerant bacteria increased with the feeding of pakar leaves. Real time PCR data revealed a decrease in Ruminococcus flavefaciens, an increase in methanogens and no change in the Fibrobacter succinogenes population by feeding of pakar leaves.