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SHORT COMMUNICATION
Effects of hemp leaf, hemp seed, and pelleted hempseed meal on in vitro rumen fermentation and methane production
1
Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, 66100, Yozgat, Turkiye
2
University of Erzurum Atatürk, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, 25240, Erzurum, Turkiye
Publication date: 2026-09-11
Corresponding author
Y. Gürbüz
Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, 66100, Yozgat, Turkiye
Yozgat Bozok University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Animal Science, 66100, Yozgat, Turkiye
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
This study evaluated the effects of hemp leaf (HL), hemp seed (HS), and pelleted hempseed meal (HP) on rumen fermentation parameters, and feed value using the in vitro gas production technique. Chemical analyses showed highly significant differences between the three hemp-derived feed materials (P < 0.01). Except for microbial protein (MP; P > 0.05), all evaluated in vitro fermentation parameters, including gas production (GP), methane production (ml and %), truly digested dry matter (TDDM), partitioning factor (PF), and microbial protein synthesis efficiency (MPSE) differed significantly between the groups (P < 0.01). Feed value was assessed based on organic matter digestibility (OMD), neutral detergent fibre digestibility (NDFD), metabolizable energy (ME), net energy for lactation (NEL), dry matter digestibility (DMD), dry matter intake (DMI), relative feed value (RFV), and relative forage quality (RFQ). Hemp seed and hempseed pelleted meal showed similar values for most evaluated parameters, differing only in OMD, whereas hemp leaf had the highest values for most fermentation and feed quality parameters. Differences among the groups were significant for all feed value indices (P < 0.01). In conclusion, HL, HS, and HP show potential as alternative energy and protein sources in ruminant diets. However, further in vivo studies are needed to confirm their effects on animal performance and health.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The authors would like to thank Yozgat Bozok University and Erzurum, Atatürk University for providing the research facilities and technical support required for this study. Special thanks are extended to the laboratory personnel for their assistance with the chemical analyses and in vitro experiments
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Authors declare that there is no conflict of interest.
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