Cattle tannins

Browsers such as mule deer, 0. hcmionus, have proUne-rich salivary proteins that bind tannins this enables them to feed on tanniniferous plants (Robbins etal, 1991). By contrast, grazers such as sheep and cattle do not possess tanninbinding proteins (Austin etal, 1989 Robbins etal, 1991), and neither do mixed feeders such as goats (Distel and Provenza, 1991). Rat and mouse saliva also contain proline-rich proteins that bind tannins. In human saliva, about 70% of total protein is rich in proline (Fig. 11.9) (Mehansho etal, 1987). 

Austin, P. J., Suchar, L. A., Robbins, C. T., and Hagerman, A. E. (1989). Tannin-binding proteins in saliva of deer and their absence in saliva ofsheep and cattle. JoarnaZo/C/iem-icalEcology 15,1335-1347. 

A Various high- and low-tannin cultivars fed to cattle. B CR depressed by high CT. C AD depressed. D NEX increased. N.B. Contains CT. 

The fruit of the chestnut provided and still provides an important food for man, used in boiled, baked, roasted, stuffed or confectionery form, and as feed for animals as well. In 19th century Italy, 30 chestnut trees were considered a valuable dowry for the young bride and a warrant for survival in years of scarcity of food. In addition, the other products of the chestnut trees were widely used in former times as fuel (burrs), timber, and leaves as litter for cattle in the stables. Chestnut was, in former times, a valuable source of tannin for the production of leather. 

There is no clear evidence that tannins are harmful in ruminant diets. On the contrary, many reports suggest possible beneficial effects. Condensed tannins can effectively protect dietary protein from microbial destruction in the rumen and prevent bloat in cattle (Donnelly and Anthony, 1969 Saba et al., 1972 Drledger and Hatfield, 1972 Clark and Reid, 1974 Kendall, 1966). These beneficial effects may arise due to a lower microbial competition for starch and proteins in the rumen (Hatfield, 1970). Driedger and Hatfield (1972) observed that the treatment of soybean meal with 10% tara tannic acid reduced deamination of the meal by rumen... 

Jones et al. (1973) also reported a complete absence of soluble proteins in the rumen of cattle grazing on species that contained condensed tannins. In an another study, Jones and Mangan (1977) observed that the site of nitrogen metabolism is transferred from the rumen to the intestine of sheep when they are fed sainfoin with condensed tannins, which include the formation of tannin-protein complexes that are stable in the rumen (pH 6.5) but not in the abomasum-duodenum (pH 2.5). 

Mangan J L, Vetter R L, Jordan D J, Wright P C 1976 The effect of the condensed tannins of sainfoin (Onobrychis viciaefolia) on the release of soluble leaf protein into the food bolus of cattle. Proc Nutr Soc 35 95A-97A... 

Bhat TK, Makkar HPS, Singh B (1996) Isolation of a tarmin-protein complex-degrading fungus from faeces of hiU cattle. J Appl Microbiol 22 257-258 Bhat TK, Singh B, Sharma OP (1998) Microbial degradation of tannins - a cruient perspective. Biodegradation 9 343-357... 

Beauchemin, K.A., S.M. McGinn, T.F. Martinez and T.A. McAllister, 2007. Use of condensed tannin extract from quebracho trees to reduce methane emissions from cattle. J. Anim. Sci. 85, 1990-1996. 

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