Abstract
The aim of the present study was to evaluate terpenes degradation rate in the rumen fluid from adapted and non-adapted animals. Four castrated healthy animals, two rams and two bucks, were used. Animals were daily orally dosed for 2 weeks with 1 g of each of the following terpenes, α-pinene, limonene and β-caryophyllene. At the end of each week, rumen fluid (RF) samples were assayed in vitro for their potential to degrade terpenes over time. For each animal, a 10 mL reaction medium (RM) at a ratio 1:9 (v/v) was prepared and a terpenes solution at a concentration of 100 μg/ml each, was added in each RM tube. Tubes were incubated at 39 °C under anaerobic conditions and their contents sampled at 0, 2, 4, 8, 21 and 24 h. RF could degrade terpenes as it was shown by the significantly (P less than 0.05) higher overall degradation rates. Individual terpene degradation rates, were significantly (P less than 0.05) higher in week 5 for limonene and marginally (P = 0.083) higher also in week 5 for α-pinene. In conclusion, the findings of the present preliminary study suggest that terpenes can be degraded in the rumen fluid.