# Effects of replacing of alfalfa hay with Plantago lanceolata hay on digestibility, methane production and microbial protein production of total mixed diet

## TL;DR

Replacing alfalfa hay with Plantago lanceolata in ruminant diets reduces methane production and boosts microbial protein, with up to 15% substitution being effective.

## Contribution

This study shows that replacing alfalfa hay with Plantago lanceolata hay can reduce methane and improve microbial protein in ruminant diets.

## Key findings

- Replacing alfalfa with Plantago lanceolata had no significant effect on gas or methane production per incubated substrate.
- Substitution improved true digestible dry matter, true digestibility, and microbial protein production.
- Fermentation shifted from methane to microbial protein when up to 15% alfalfa was replaced.

## Abstract

The aim of current experiment was to determine the effect of replacement of alfalfa hay with ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata) hay in ruminant diets on the fermentation parameters such as gas production, methane (CH4) production, true digestible dry matter (TDDM), true digestibility (TD), partitioning factor, microbial protein, and efficiency of microbial protein using in vitro gas production technique. The alfalfa hay was replaced with P. lanceolata hay in a diets isocaloric (2650 kcal/kg DM) and nitrogenic (17% CP kg DM) at the ratio of 0, 5, 10 and 15%. Partial substitution of alfalfa hay with P. lanceolata hay had no significant effect on gas and methane (ml/incubated substrate or %) production whereas the partial substitution had a significant effect on TDDM, TD, gas (ml/digested DM), CH4 (ml ml/digested DM) and microbial MP of diets. The replacement of alfalfa hay with ribwort plantain hay shifted the fermentation pattern from gas and methane production to microbial protein production. Therefore alfalfa hay can be replaced with ribwort plantain hay with high digestibility and anti-methanogenic potential in ruminant diets up to 15% to decrease methane production and improve microbial protein production. However further in vivo experiments are required to determine the effect of replacement on feed intake and animal production.