Yucca schidigera extract depressed ammonia emission in manure incubation and greenhouse gases release in artificial rumen of cows.

The influences of ammonia (NH₃) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from livestock on environment recently become a major concern of the worldwide. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of Yucca schidigera extract (YSE) on ammonia emission in manure and the release of green-house gases including methane (CH₄), nitrous oxide (N₂O) and carbon dioxide (CO₂) in artificial rumen of cows. Addition of YSE significantly decreased ammonia nitrogen (NH₃-N) concentration (P < 0.01) and increased the percentage of total nitrogen (N) (P < 0.005) in manure incubation. The populations of total aerobic bacteria were significantly decreased by the addition of YSE with 1% and 2% (P < 0.05), while the populations of Lactobacilli were significantly increased in dose-dependent manner (P <0.001) in manure. In 1-12 h and 13-24h of ruminal fermentation in vitro, the yields of CH₄, CO₂ and N₂O were dose-dependently reduced by the addition of YSE (P < 0.05). Results showed that YSE inhibit ammonia emission in manure and the release of green-house gases in artificial rumen of cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]