Pistachio by-product as a forage source for ruminant nutrition: A review (Part B: Ammonia, microbial protein synthesis, fermentation, and biohydrogenation in the rumen, methane, and blood metabolites)

This review aimed to collect and summarize all available current evidence of the effects of pistachio by-product (PBP) on rumen fermentation and biohydrogenation, microbial protein synthesis, methane emission, physiological parameters and blood metabolites in ruminants. The results showed that the concentration of NH3-N and efficiency of microbial nitrogen synthesis in the rumen decreased in PBP supplemented diets, although the PBP diets had lower microbial protein synthesiscompared to the control groups. By increasing PBP supplementation the concentrations of total volatile fatty acids and the total population of the rumen bacteria in the rumen were reduced in some experiments. Some studies suggest that the use of PBP can be a useful strategy for increasing the CLA content of milk fat in Saanen dairy goats. This by-product is effective in reducing methane emissions from livestock. In general, PBP can be used in ruminant diets at inclusion levels up to 300 g/kg, or more without interfering with performance, ruminal fermentation, blood metabolites, hematological parameters, and kidney and liver function.