Application of thymol capsule in enhancement of sheep rumen fermentation and growth promotion

Abstract

The invention discloses application of thymol capsules in enhancement of sheep rumen fermentation and growth promotion, and belongs to the technical field of feed additives. According to the invention, thymol is prepared into capsules and is applied to sheep feeding as a feed additive, and long-term feeding experiments prove that the thymol capsules disclosed by the invention can influence rumen fermentation, microbial community and production performance of sheep. The thymol is derived from natural plants, has the advantages of being wide in source, green, free of pollution and free of residues, has the positive effect of promoting animal production, reduces waste after coating, improves the utilization efficiency, and can be used as a green feed additive for promoting rumen fermentation and improving the production performance in sheep production.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention relates to the technical field of feed additives, and in particular to application of thymol capsules in enhancing rumen fermentation and promoting growth of sheep. Background Art

[0002] Natural medicinal plant extracts have low toxicity and side effects, and pose little health risk to animals and consumers. In addition, medicinal plants are abundant and widely available, and are considered an important class of substances to replace antibiotics in livestock and poultry farming. Thymol is a natural monoterpene compound found in plants and seeds of the Lamiaceae family, such as thyme, musk, oregano, and cymbidium. It is a colorless crystal with a unique spicy and herbal smell and can be used to season a variety of foods. Pharmacological studies have found that thymol has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antibacterial effects, and has a positive effect on animal health. However, it also irritates the skin, eyes, and mucous membranes, is easily volatile and damp, and has high storage requirements. Therefore, it is easy to cause waste and denaturation during production and application, and excessive concentrations affect animal feeding.

[0003] The rumen of sheep is the largest digestive organ in the gastrointestinal tract and the main place for digestion and fermentation of nutrients. It can degrade a variety of nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats, and can convert the end products of carbohydrate fermentation such as cellulose, hemicellulose and starch into volatile fatty acids, mainly acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid, which can meet about 70% of the energy needs of animals. However, unlike monogastric animals, the rumen does not secrete digestive enzymes but relies on microbial fermentation. The microorganisms in the rumen include those that can secrete cellulase, xylanase, ligninase, etc. to degrade complex cellulose. Therefore, rumen microorganisms play an important role in the digestion, absorption and metabolism of nutrients in sheep. Regulation of rumen fermentation function can improve production performance by improving material absorption and energy utilization.

[0004] In view of this, the present invention is proposed. Summary of the invention

[0005] The purpose of the invention is to provide application of thymol capsules in enhancing rumen fermentation and promoting growth of sheep.

[0006] The present invention is achieved in that:

[0007] In a first aspect, the present invention provides a use of a feed additive in promoting the growth performance of sheep. The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol.

[0008] In a second aspect, the present invention provides an application of a feed additive in improving the slaughter performance of sheep, wherein the feed additive is a capsule containing thymol.

[0009] In a third aspect, the present invention provides an application of a feed additive in enhancing rumen fermentation in sheep, wherein the feed additive is a capsule containing thymol; the application includes promoting the production of volatile fatty acids in the rumen of sheep.

[0010] In a fourth aspect, the present invention provides an application of a feed additive in adjusting the community structure of sheep rumen microorganisms, wherein the feed additive is a capsule containing thymol; the above-mentioned microorganisms include bacteria related to fiber degradation, bacteria related to fatty acid metabolism, and bacteria related to complex polysaccharide degradation.

[0011] In a fifth aspect, the present invention provides an application of a feed additive in regulating sheep blood metabolism, wherein the feed additive is a capsule containing thymol; the above application includes optimizing nitrogen metabolism and regulating lipid metabolism.

[0012] In a sixth aspect, the present invention provides an application of a feed additive in improving the immune function of sheep. The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol. The application includes increasing the level of blood immunoglobulin.

[0013] The present invention has the following beneficial effects:

[0014] The present invention prepares thymol into capsules and applies the capsules as feed additives to sheep feeding. Long-term feeding experiments show that the thymol capsules of the present invention can affect sheep rumen fermentation, microbial community and production performance. Since thymol is derived from natural plants, it has the advantages of wide sources, green, pollution-free and residue-free, and has a positive effect on promoting animal production. After encapsulation, it reduces waste and improves utilization efficiency. It can be used as a green feed additive to promote rumen fermentation and improve production performance in sheep production. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0015] In order to more clearly illustrate the technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings required for use in the embodiments are briefly introduced below. It should be understood that the following drawings only show certain embodiments of the present invention and therefore should not be regarded as limiting the scope. For ordinary technicians in this field, other related drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative work.

[0016] Figure 1 The effect of thymol capsule on blood metabolism and immune function of Hu sheep in Example 2;

[0017] Figure 2 This is the effect of thymol capsules on the rumen microbial diversity of Hu sheep in Example 2. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] In order to make the purpose, technical scheme and advantages of the embodiments of the present invention clearer, the technical scheme in the embodiments of the present invention will be described clearly and completely below. If the specific conditions are not specified in the embodiments, they are carried out according to conventional conditions or conditions recommended by the manufacturer. If the manufacturer of the reagents or instruments used is not specified, they are all conventional products that can be purchased commercially.

[0019] Since thymol can improve the growth and meat production performance of animals and is green and safe, its application in feed has a good prospect. However, it is volatile, which is easy to cause waste and denaturation during production and application, and too high a concentration affects animal feeding. In order to overcome this problem, the present invention fills thymol into capsules, prepares the capsules and then adds them to the basic feed as an additive.

[0020] Based on this, the present invention provides a capsule containing thymol, wherein the capsule shell is made of glutinous rice and the inner cavity is filled with thymol. The preparation method of the above capsule can be prepared by a conventional capsule preparation method in the art, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0021] In the present invention, the preparation method of the above-mentioned capsule includes: it is prepared by arranging hollow capsule shells, separating capsule caps, filling capsules and sealing the caps. Specifically, a fully automatic hard shell capsule filling machine or a capsule plate filler is usually used, a filling amount of 0.05-0.2g and a corresponding 1-5 models of glutinous rice material capsule shells are selected, the capsule shells are arranged in a directional manner after being arranged on a specific track, and negative pressure adsorption is used to make the capsule caps remain on the upper capsule plate and the capsule bodies are separated from the cap bodies in the lower capsule plate holes, the filler manually arranges the capsule caps, and thymol powder is filled into the capsule body of the lower capsule plate through a cannula device according to a preset dosage, and the capsule caps are automatically closed by applying external pressure (manually pressed by the filler), and finally removed from the equipment, and unqualified waste capsules are removed and sealed in a ziplock bag for storage.

[0022] The thymol capsules of the present invention can improve the application efficiency in actual production, reduce loss and waste, and protect the material properties of thymol; and long-term feeding experiments have shown that different addition amounts will not affect the feed intake of sheep, and can also promote the fermentation of rumen microorganisms by adjusting the community structure, and improve blood metabolism and immune function to improve the growth performance and slaughter performance of sheep. Therefore, the thymol capsules of the present invention have the following uses:

[0023] (1) Adjust the community structure and diversity of sheep rumen microorganisms.

[0024] Specifically, the microorganisms include bacteria related to fiber degradation, bacteria related to fatty acid metabolism, and bacteria related to complex polysaccharide degradation.

[0025] Among them, bacteria related to fiber degradation include: Ruminococcus sp, Prevotella lacticifex and Prevotella communis, Fibrobacter sp, Treponema bryantii and Ruminococcus flavefaciens; bacteria related to fatty acid metabolism include Bacteroides sp, Alloprevotella sp and Prevotella sp E15 22; bacteria related to complex polysaccharide degradation include Prevotella ruminicola.

[0026] (2) Enhance the fermentation of sheep rumen by promoting the production of volatile fatty acids in the rumen of sheep.

[0027] By changing the structure and diversity of the microbial community, the production of volatile fatty acids such as acetic acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid in the rumen can be promoted, thereby promoting fermentation in the rumen of sheep.

[0028] (3) Improve sheep blood metabolism.

[0029] Specifically, improving sheep blood metabolism includes optimizing nitrogen metabolism and regulating lipid metabolism.

[0030] Among them, optimizing nitrogen metabolism includes reducing urea nitrogen and total protein in serum; regulating lipid metabolism includes reducing total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

[0031] (4) Improve immune function.

[0032] Specifically, improving immune function includes stimulating the immune system and increasing immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G.

[0033] (5) Improve the growth performance and slaughter performance of sheep.

[0034] The thymol capsule of the present invention achieves the effect of improving the growth performance and slaughter performance of sheep by changing the composition and diversity of rumen microorganisms, improving the fermentation function of rumen, host metabolism and immune function. Among them, the growth performance includes daily weight gain; and the slaughter performance includes eye muscle area.

[0035] The features and performance of the present invention are further described in detail below in conjunction with the embodiments.

[0036] Example 1

[0037] This embodiment is a capsule containing thymol and a preparation method thereof, which is specifically as follows:

[0038] Usually, a fully automatic hard shell capsule filling machine or a capsule plate filler is used, with a filling amount of 0.05-0.2g and corresponding 1-5 models of glutinous rice capsule shells. The capsule shells are arranged in a directional manner after being arranged on a specific track, and negative pressure adsorption is used to keep the capsule cap on the upper capsule plate and the capsule body in the lower capsule plate hole to separate the cap body. The filler manually arranges the capsule cap body, and fills thymol powder into the capsule body of the lower capsule plate through a cannula device according to the preset dosage. The capsule cap body is automatically closed by applying external pressure (manual pressure for the filler), and finally removed from the equipment, and the unqualified waste capsules are removed and sealed in a ziplock bag for storage.

[0039] Example 2

[0040] The thymol capsules prepared in Example 1 were fed to sheep to verify their effects on various performances of the sheep, as follows:

[0041] Experimental methods:

[0042] 40 healthy Huyang rams (41.44±3.7kg) with similar body weight were selected and randomly divided into control group (C1), thymol-added group 1 (thymol added at 0.5g / kg, B1), thymol-added group 2 (thymol added at 1g / kg, B2), and thymol-added group 3 (thymol added at 1.5g / kg, B3), with 10 sheep in each group. They were fed for 10 days in the early stage, fed in single pens for 60 days, and fed in metabolic cages for 60 days. The basic feed for all sheep was uniformly prepared by the sheep farm to ensure free access to food and water. They were fed at 7 am and 4 pm every day, and thymol was fed separately every morning.

[0043] Sample collection and analysis:

[0044] The body weight of the sheep was recorded before and after the experiment, and the feeding amount and the weight of the remaining feed were weighed every day during the feeding period.

[0045] One day before the end of feeding, blood was collected from the fasting jugular vein of all sheep and the serum was preserved after centrifugation. Total protein (TP), albumin (ALB), total cholesterol (TC), urea nitrogen (BUN) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) were measured using the corresponding kits produced by Nanjing Jiancheng according to the instructions. IgA, IgG and IgM were detected using the Shanghai Bangyi sheep-specific ELISA kit in strict accordance with the instructions, and the results were finally read using a multifunctional microplate reader.

[0046] After the feeding, all the experimental sheep were slaughtered, the slaughter rate was calculated by the weight before and after slaughter, and the eye muscle area was calculated by the cross-section of the longissimus dorsi muscle. The concentration of rumen volatile fatty acids was determined by gas chromatography from the rumen fluid collected during the slaughter experiment, and the rumen microorganisms were obtained by DNA extraction and metagenomic sequencing analysis of the collected rumen contents.

[0047] The test results are as follows:

[0048] (1) The results of growth performance and slaughter performance are shown in Table 1:

[0049] Table 1 Effects of thymol on growth performance and slaughter performance of Hu sheep

[0050]

[0051]

[0052] As can be seen from Table 1, feeding thymol at different addition levels in the experimental groups did not affect feed intake, and the daily weight gain of Hu sheep fed with thymol was significantly increased (P<0.05), and the growth performance was significantly improved. The results of the slaughter experiment showed that feeding thymol did not affect the slaughter rate and backfat thickness of Hu sheep, but the eye muscle area was significantly increased (P<0.05), indicating that thymol enhanced the meat production performance of Hu sheep. Therefore, it is proved that the addition of thymol has a positive effect on the growth and meat production of housed sheep.

[0053] (2) Blood metabolism and immune function test results such as Figure 1 As shown:

[0054] Figure 1 The results showed that the low-dose T1 group and the high-dose T3 group reduced the levels of total cholesterol (TC) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), the high-dose T3 group also reduced serum urea nitrogen (BUN) and total protein (TP), the medium-dose T2 group and the high-dose T3 group increased the levels of IgA, and the low-dose T1 group and the medium-dose T2 group increased the levels of IgG. Thymol may regulate lipid metabolism, reduce cholesterol and HDL-C through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties; improve protein utilization, reduce protein decomposition, and lead to a decrease in urea nitrogen; and stimulate the immune system and increase immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G.

[0055] (3) The results of the determination of volatile fatty acids in the rumen are shown in Table 2:

[0056] Table 2 Effects of thymol on volatile fatty acids in the rumen of Hu sheep

[0057]

[0058] As can be seen from Table 2, the ratio of rumen acetic acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid and ethyl to propionic acid ratio in the rumen of Hu sheep fed with thymol (P<0.05), reduced the ratio of propionic acid (P<0.05), and had no effect on the concentration of total VFAs (P>0.05). This shows that the addition of thymol is beneficial to the production of acetic acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, etc. in the rumen, and promotes the fermentation of the sheep rumen.

[0059] (4) Analysis of microbial community structure and diversity

[0060] Figure 2 Metagenomic analysis showed that thymol increased the Alpha diversity of rumen microorganisms in Hu sheep, and the Chao1 index representing the number of species increased significantly (P<0.05). The Beta diversity results of the thymol group were significantly different from those of the control group (P<0.05), and there was a clear separation. These results indicate that the community structure of the rumen microorganisms of Hu sheep changed significantly after the addition of thymol, thereby changing the function of the microorganisms.

[0061] The results of the effect of thymol on the rumen microbial composition of Hu sheep are shown in Table 3:

[0062] Table 3 Effects of thymol on rumen microbial composition of Hu sheep

[0063]

[0064] Group B1 significantly increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcus sp and Prevotella lacticifex and Prevotella communis related to fiber degradation, B2 increased the abundance of Fibrobacter sp and Treponema bryantii related to fiber degradation, and Bacteroides sp, Alloprevotella sp and Prevotella sp E1522 related to volatile fatty acid metabolism, while Group B3 increased the abundance of Ruminococcus flavefaciens, a key fiber-degrading bacterium in the rumen, and Prevotella ruminicola, which degrades complex polysaccharides. The abundance of various fiber-degrading bacteria increased significantly in the thymol-supplemented group, indicating that thymol promoted the degradation of complex plant carbohydrates such as cellulose and hemicellulose in the rumen of sheep, enhanced the rumen fermentation potential and nutrient digestion and utilization, and thus played a positive role in improving the production performance of animals.

[0065] In summary, the results of this experiment prove that adding the thymol capsule of the present invention to the diet not only does not affect the feed intake, but also can improve the abundance of various fiber-degrading bacteria of Ruminococcus yellow by changing the community structure and diversity of rumen microorganisms, promote the production of volatile fatty acids such as acetic acid, isobutyric acid, and isovaleric acid in the rumen, and then improve the daily weight gain of sheep and the eye muscle area of ​​the longissimus dorsi muscle. At the same time, thymol synergistically improves the blood metabolic state and immune function of sheep through multiple pathways such as enhancing humoral immunity (such as improving blood immunoglobulin levels), optimizing nitrogen metabolism (reducing urea production and promoting efficient protein utilization), and regulating lipid metabolism (reducing total cholesterol and HDL-C). Therefore, adding thymol capsules to the diet can improve the rumen fermentation function and host metabolism and immune system by changing the composition and diversity of rumen microorganisms, and improve the growth performance and muscle development of sheep.

[0066] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. For those skilled in the art, the present invention may have various modifications and variations. Any modification, equivalent replacement, improvement, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included in the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A use of a feed additive in promoting the growth performance of sheep, characterized in that: The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol.

2. An application of a feed additive in improving the slaughter performance of sheep, characterized in that: The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol.

3. Use of a feed additive in enhancing rumen fermentation in sheep, characterized in that: The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol; and the application includes promoting the production of volatile fatty acids in the rumen of sheep.

4. Use of a feed additive in adjusting the community structure of sheep rumen microorganisms, characterized in that: The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol; the microorganisms include bacteria related to fiber degradation, bacteria related to fatty acid metabolism and bacteria related to complex polysaccharide degradation.

5. The use according to claim 4, characterized in that: The bacteria related to fiber degradation include: Ruminococcus sp, Prevotella lacticifex, Prevotella communis, Fibrobactersp, Treponema bryantii and Ruminococcus flavefaciens; the bacteria related to fatty acid metabolism include Bacteroides sp, Alloprevotella sp and Prevotella sp E15 22; the bacteria related to complex polysaccharide degradation include Prevotella ruminicola.

6. Use of a feed additive in regulating sheep blood metabolism, characterized in that: The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol; and the application includes optimizing nitrogen metabolism and regulating lipid metabolism.

7. The use according to claim 6, characterized in that: Optimizing nitrogen metabolism includes reducing serum urea nitrogen and total protein; regulating lipid metabolism includes reducing total cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol.

8. Use of a feed additive in improving the immune function of sheep, characterized in that: The feed additive is a capsule containing thymol, and the application includes improving the blood immunoglobulin level.

9. The use according to claim 8, characterized in that: The immunoglobulins include immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G.

10. The use according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The capsule has glutinous rice as the outer shell and thymol as the inner core, and is prepared by arranging hollow capsule shells, separating capsule caps, filling the capsules and sealing the caps.

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