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This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of three Chinese herbal medicines (CHMs) on rumen fermentation, methane emission and population of ruminal microbes using an in vitro gas production technique. Three healthy wethers of Dazu Black goats with similar bodyweights and permanent rumen fistulae were utilized as donors of ruminal fluid. The three botanical medicines were cablin patchouli herb (CPH), atractylodes rhizome (AR) and Amur cork tree (AC). Each CHM was added at a level of 25 g/kg to the substrate dry matter. In vitro gas production was recorded, and methane concentration was determined at 12 and 24 hours of incubation. After 24 hours, the incubation was stopped, and the inoculants were measured for pH, ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids (VFAs) concentrations. Total deoxyribonucleic acid of ruminal microbes was extracted from the inocula, and populations were determined by a real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Populations of total rumen methanogens, protozoa, total fungi, Ruminococcus albus, Fibrobacter succinogenes and Ruminococcus flavefaciens were expressed as a proportion of total rumen bacterial 16S ribosomal deoxyribonucleic acid. Compared to the control, CPH decreased gas production and methane production at 12 and 24 hours of incubation, and inhibited methanogens and total fungi growth. AR decreased acetate to propionate ratio, and methanogens and total fungi populations, but increased propionate molar proportion. AC decreased total VFA concentration, acetate to propionate ratio, gas production at 12 and 24 hours of incubation, methane production at 12 and 24 hours of incubation, and methanogens and total fungi growth, but increased the propionate molar proportion. In conclusion, CPH and AC both suppressed methanogenesis significantly, and the suppression was mediated primarily via the direct action against the rumen microbes involved in methane formation. AC also indirectly abates methane release by occupying the hydrogen (H2) normally utilized for methanogenesis.Keywords: In vitro gas production, methane, rumen fermentation parameter, rumen microbes

This paper describes a newly-developed of an electromagnetic induction fluid heating appliance using a heatedflow-through metallic package incorporated into the nonmetallic vessel in the pipeline, which is composed of series-loaded resonant phase-shift PWM high-frequency inverter using IGBT modules and their optirum driver modules in addition to an auto-tuning PID controller for temperature regulation. This efficient inverter-fed type fluid heating appliance is more acceptable for high-quality heat energy transfer and delivery processing plants operated under a precise temperature control scheme as well as heat-energy storage and heat exchange processing plants because of clean, safty and high-efficient energy conversion, compactness in volumetric size, and ease to control. In particular, the series capacitor-compensated resonant PWM inverter with a power factor correction and active sinewave line current-shaping functions is introduced for induction-heated pipeline fluid healing. The original structure of electromagnetic induction-heated metallic package in the nonmetallic vessel or tank for high-efficient fluid heating is demonstrated from a practical point of view, in which specially-designed fluid-through induction-heating metallic package assembly with a huge heating surface to induce the eddy current is incorporated into the nonmetallic cylindrical vessel with a working coil connected to a high-frequency AC power supply. The inherent remarkable features of this power electronic appliance are schematically pointed out and confirmed. Its operating characteristics in the steady-state are illustrated and evaluated. The prospective applications of this new conceptional fluid heating appliance are mentioned herein.