Lactating buffalos' productive performance, ruminal kinetics, nutrients digestibility and oxidative status as response to supplementing diets with alpinia galanga .

The current study investigated the effect of adding different doses of galangal rhizome powder ( Alpinia galanga ) to the diets of lactating buffaloes on milk production, composition and in vitro ruminal fermentation kinetics. Twenty buffaloes were divided into four groups: (T1) a control diet comprising of concentrates, corn silage and rice straw at 50: 35: 15 on a DM basis, (T2) a control diet plus 15 g of galangal/animal/day and (T3) a control diet plus 30 g of galangal/animal/day and (T4) a control diet plus 45 g of galangal/animal/day. Results showed that inclusion of galangal in diets decreased ( p  < 0.05) the concentrations of butyrate, ammonia-nitrogen, CO 2 , and total protozoa count as compared with T1. Acetate concentration was lower in T4 as compared with other groups ( p  < 0.05). While propionate concentration was lower ( p  < 0.05) in T2 as compared with T1. T3 and T4 lowered ( p  < 0.05) methane, CO 2 productions, and protozoa count. T3 increased ( p  < 0.05) milk yield, energy corrected milk (ECM), yield of total solids, total protein, and solids not fat (SNF) than recorded for T1. While T4 recorded the lowest values ( p  < 0.05) of milk yield, ECM, total solids, fat, and total protein. The current results support the hypothesis that the inclusion of galangal in lactating buffaloes' diets at 30 g per animal daily improved feed intake and milk yield.