Effect of herbal products on rumen fermentation pattern in goats

Forty non-descript healthy goats of nearly same age (5-6 months, average body wt-12 kg) were selected for the study and offered ration as per standard NRC (2001). Group-I was untreated control treatment. Group-II, III and IV were supplemented with Ruchamax@7.5 g, AV/DAC/16@7.5 g and AV/RMF/17@7.5 g, respectively twice in a day for 15 days along with standard ration. All the nitrogen fractions of rumen fluid except TCA ppt nitrogen were lower whereas TVFA and lactic acid concentration were higher on AV/RMF/17 supplemented diet as compared to other groups. Time of sampling also had significant (P<0.01) effect on concentration of all rumen nitrogen fractions, TVFA and lactic acid, which peaked at 4 hr post feeding irrespective of rations. Activities of polysaccharide degrading enzymes e.g., cellulase, xylanase, ? glucosidase and ? glucosidase were similar in different experimental groups and activities were more pronounced (P<0.01) after 4 hr post feeding and thereafter declined.