Browse > Article
http://dx.doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2009.80319

In vivo Methane Production from Formic and Acetic Acids in the Gastrointestinal Tract of White Roman Geese  

Chen, Yieng-How (Department of Animal Science and Biotechnology, Tunghai University)
Wang, Shu-Yin (Department of Animal Science, Chinese Culture University)
Hsu, Jenn-Chung (Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University)
Publication Information
Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences / v.22, no.7, 2009 , pp. 1043-1047 More about this Journal
Abstract
Three experiments were conducted to determine the conversion rate of formic and acetic acids into methane in the gastrointestinal tracts of geese. In experiment I, two sets of two 4-month-old male White Roman geese were allocated to one of two treatment groups. Each set of geese was inoculated either with formic acid or with phosphate buffer solution (PBS). After the acid or the PBS was inoculated into the esophagi of the geese, two birds from each treatment were placed in a respiratory chamber as a measurement unit for 4 h in order to determine methane production rate. In experiment II and III, 6- and 7-wk-old male White Roman goslings were used, respectively. Birds were allocated to receive either formic acid or PBS solution injected into the ceca in experiment II. Acetic acid or PBS solution injected into the cecum were used for experiment III. After either the acids or the PBS solution were injected into the cecum, two birds from each treatment were placed in a respiratory chamber as a measurement unit for 3 h; each treatment was repeated 3 times. The results indicated that formic acid inoculated into the oesophagi of geese was quickly converted into methane. Compared with the PBS-injected group, methane production increased by 5.02 times in the formic acid injected group (4.32 vs. 0.86 mg/kg BW/d; p<0.05). Acetic acid injected into the ceca did not increase methane production; conversely, it tended to decrease methane production. The present study suggests that formic acid may be converted to methane in the ceca, and that acetic acid may not be a precursor of methane in the ceca of geese.
Keywords
Acetic Acid; Formic Acid; Gastrointestinal Tract; Geese; Methane;
Citations & Related Records
Times Cited By KSCI : 4  (Citation Analysis)
Times Cited By Web Of Science : 0  (Related Records In Web of Science)
Times Cited By SCOPUS : 0
연도 인용수 순위
1 Annison, E. F., K. J. Kill and R. Kenworthy. 1968. Volatile fatty acids in the digestive tract of the fowl. Br. J. Nutr. 22:207-216   DOI   ScienceOn
2 Armstrong, D. G. and K. L. Blaxter. 1957. The increasement of steam-volatile fatty acids in fasting sheep. Br. J. Nutr. 11:247-274   DOI   ScienceOn
3 Chen, Y. H., S. Y. Wang and J. C. Hsu. 2003. Effects of caecectomy on body weight gain, intestinal characteristics and enteric gas production in goslings. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 16:1030-1034
4 Clemens, E. T., C. E. Stevenes and M. Southworth. 1975. Site of organic acid production and pattern of digesta movement in gastrointestinal tract of geese. J. Nutr. 105:1341-1350
5 Czerkawski, J. W. 1986. An introduction to rumen studies. Pergamon Press, New York, USA. pp. 185-219
6 Kumar, R., D. N. Kamra, N. Agarwal and L. C. Chaudhary. 2007. In vitro methanogenesis and fermentation of feeds containing oil seed cakes with rumen liquor of buffalo. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 20:1196-1200   DOI   ScienceOn
7 Russell, J. B. 1992. Another explanation for the toxicity of fermentation acids at low pH: Anion accumulation versus uncoupling. J. Appl. Bacteriol. 73:363-370   DOI
8 SAS. 1996. SAS user's guide: statistics. SAS Inst., Inc., Cary, NC. USA
9 Vercoe, J. E. and K. L. Baxter. 1965. The metabolism of formic acid in sheep. Br. J. Nutr. 19:523-530   DOI   ScienceOn
10 Williams, R. T. and R. L. Crawford. 1984. Methane production in Minnesota peatlands. Appl. Environ. Microbiol. 47:1266-1271   PUBMED
11 McBee, R. H. 1969. Cecal fermentation in the willow ptarmigan. Conder 71:54-58   DOI   ScienceOn
12 Bhatta, R., O. Enishi and M. Kurihara. 2007. Measurement of methane production from ruminants. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 20:1305-1318
13 Hungate, R. E. 1966. The Rumen and Its Microbes. Academic Press, New York, USA. pp. 133-273
14 Chen, Y. H., J. C. Hsu and L. L. Lu. 1991. The effect of high and low dietary fiber level on digesta passage through alimentary canal of goslings. Tunghai J. 32:765-774 (in Chinese)
15 Chen, Y. H., F. M. Pan and J. C. Hsu. 2002. The caecectomy of geese. Taiwan Vet. J. 28:74-79 (in Chinese)
16 Tsukahara, T. and K. Ushida. 2000. Effects of animal or plant protein diets on cecal fermentation in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus), rats (rattus norvegicus) and chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus). Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 127A:139-146
17 Hungate, R. E., W. Smith, T. Bauchop, I. Yu and J. C. Rabinowitz. 1970. Formate as an intermediate in the bovine rumen fermentation. J. Bacteriol. 102:389-397
18 Yang, C. P. and C. H. Lin. 1975. The utilizing of dietary fiber feed in geese. II. The function of cellulose digestion in ceca. J. Chin. Soc. Anim. Sci. 4:41-46 (in Chinese)
19 Duke, G. E., E. Eccleston, S. Kirywood, C. F. Louis and H. P. Bedbury. 1984. Cellulose digestion by domestic turkeys fed low and high fiber diets. J. Nutr. 114:95-102   DOI   ScienceOn
20 Chen, Y. H., J. C. Hsu and B. Yu. 1992. Effects of dietary fiber levels on growth performance, intestinal fermentation and cellulase activity of goslings. J. Chin. Soc. Anim. Sci. 21(2): 15-28 (in Chinese)
21 Marounek, M., O. Suchorska and O. Savka. 1999. Effect of substrate and feed antibiotics on in vitro production of valatile fatty acids and methane in caecal contents of chickens. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol. 80:223-230   DOI   ScienceOn
22 Beijer, W. H. 1952. Methane fermentation in the rumen of cattle. Nature 170:576-577   DOI   PUBMED   ScienceOn
23 Gasaway, W. C. 1976. Cellulose digestion and metabolism by captive rock ptarmigan. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 54A:179-182
24 Gasaway, W. C., R. C. White and D. F. Holleman. 1976. Digestion of dry matter and absorption of water in the intestine and cecum of the ptarmigan. Conder 78:77-84   DOI   ScienceOn
25 Mattocks, J. G. 1971. Goose feeding and cellulose digestion. Wildfowl 22:107-113   DOI   ScienceOn
26 Nieman, C. 1954. Influence of tract amounts of fatty acids on the growth of the microorganisms. Microbiological Reviews 18: 147-163
27 Van Kessell, J. A. S. and J. B. Russell. 1996. The effect of pH on ruminal methanogenesis. FEMS Microbiol. Ecol. 20:205-210   DOI   ScienceOn
28 Wang, S. Y., S. W. Shieh, S. H. Wang and Y. H. Chen. 2003. Assessment of enteric fermentation emission factors of greenhouse gases in goose utilizing a respiratory chamber. J. Chin. Soc. Anim. Sci. 32:43-50 (in Chinese)
29 Blaxter, K. L. and J. Czerkawski. 1966. Modifications of the methane production of the sheep by supplementation of its diet. J. Sci. Food. Agric. 17:417-421   DOI   PUBMED
30 Wang, S. Y. and D. J. Huang. 2005. Assessment of greenhouse gas emissions from poultry enteric fermentation. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 18(6):873-878
31 Lee, H. J., S. C. Lee, J. D. Kim, Y. G. Oh, B. K. Kim, C. W. Kim and K. J. Kim. 2003. Methane production potential of feed ingredients as measured by in vitro gas test. Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 16:1143-1150