Abstract—A rumen defaunation trial was conducted using Leucaena leucocephala forage as defaunating agent. Defaunation was performed by supplementing fresh L. leucocephala forage at two levels and frequencies as follows: T1 = 0.75% of BW, DM basis + 1 follow-up administration in a month), T2 = 0.75% BW + 2 follow-up administration in a month, T3 = 1.25% BW + 1 follow-up administration in a month, T4 = 1.25% BW + 2 follow-up administration in a month and T5 = control treatment, without defaunating agents added. The experiment was set up in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) having age and sex of the animals as basis for blocking. Rumen fluid was collected in each animal through stomach tubing before and after the experiment for bacterial and protozoal counting. Results revealed that L. leucocephala was significantly (P<0.001) effective in reducing protozoal numbers and increasing the bacterial population in all levels and frequencies as compared to the control. However, T2 and T4 appeared to be the best treatments in reducing protozoal numbers with a corresponding greater increase in bacterial counts. Therefore, L. leucocephala can effectively manipulate the rumen environment by reducing the protozoa without negative effects on bacteria. At any level of feeding, its use as defaunating agent must have two (2) follow-ups administration in a month. 
 

Index Terms—bacterial population, defaunating agent, L. leucocephala, levels and frequency, protozoal population, rumen defaunation

Cite: Maita L. Aban and Lolito C. Bestil, "Rumen Defaunation: Determining the Level and Frequency of Leucaena leucocephala Linn. Forage," International Journal of Food Engineering, Vol. 2, No. 1, pp. 55-60, June 2016. doi: 10.18178/ijfe.2.1.55-60