Effect of chitosans on in vitro rumen digestion and fermentation of maize silage

The gas in vitro technique was used to study the effects of six types of chitosans, each having different molecular weights and acetylation degrees, on rumen microbial fermentation. In a first trial, a separate concentration of 750 mg/l of culture fluid for each of the six chitosans (CHI1, CHI2, CHI3, CHI4, CHI5, and CHI6) was incubated for 24 h in diluted ruminal fluid with maize silage as the substrate. The ionophore antibiotic monensin (MON) was used as a positive control, and a negative control with no chitosan (CTR) was also included. Each treatment was tested in triplicate for three different periods. At the end of the trial, samples were collected to determine volatile fatty acid (VFA) and ammonia N concentrations, and pH and gas production values were recorded. Methane concentration was estimated stoichiometrically. In vitro true organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and partitioning factor (PF, mg OM truly degraded/ml gas produced) were also calculated. In a second trial, a separate concentration of 750 mg/l of each of the six chitosans was incubated for 144 h in diluted ruminal fluid with maize silage as the substrate, to study the effects of these compounds on fermentation kinetics.All six chitosans decreased the IVOMD and PF values. Chitosan inclusion did not affect the fermentation of the substrate's soluble fraction, but did reduce the fermentation kinetics of the insoluble but fermentable fraction. However, only CHI5 and CHI6 decreased total VFA concentration. CHI3 and CHI6 decreased the molar proportion of acetate and increased the molar proportion of propionate, thus increasing the propionate-to-acetate ratio. Chitosan inclusion did not affect molar proportions of butyrate. With the exception of CHI2, the molar proportion of branch-chained VFA was lowered by all of the chitosan treatments. Most of the treatments also decreased methane production, also with the exception of CHI2.In conclusion, chitosan extracts may enable the manipulation of rumen microbial fermentation, but further research is required to elucidate the effect of chitosans on ruminal fermentation parameters in commercial diets as well as the adaptability of rumen microflora to these additives.