Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions

IntroductionClimate change poses a significant environmental challenge to all living organisms. Camels exhibit notable resilience to these changes. Concurrently, the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a widely cultivated plant in tropical and subtropical regions, generates substantial seed waste. Valo...

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Main Authors: Hesham S. Ghazzawy, Nashi K. Alqahtani, Abdullah Sheikh, Mohamed Shawky El Sayed, Roshmon Thomas Mathew, Hassan M. Ali-Dinar, Ehab El-Haroun, Mohamed M. A. Abd-Elkarim, Sameh A. Abdelnour, Ali S. A. Saleem
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2025-08-01
Series:Frontiers in Veterinary Science
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Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1632447/full
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author Hesham S. Ghazzawy
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Abdullah Sheikh
Mohamed Shawky El Sayed
Roshmon Thomas Mathew
Hassan M. Ali-Dinar
Ehab El-Haroun
Mohamed M. A. Abd-Elkarim
Sameh A. Abdelnour
Ali S. A. Saleem
author_facet Hesham S. Ghazzawy
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Abdullah Sheikh
Mohamed Shawky El Sayed
Roshmon Thomas Mathew
Hassan M. Ali-Dinar
Ehab El-Haroun
Mohamed M. A. Abd-Elkarim
Sameh A. Abdelnour
Ali S. A. Saleem
author_sort Hesham S. Ghazzawy
collection DOAJ
description IntroductionClimate change poses a significant environmental challenge to all living organisms. Camels exhibit notable resilience to these changes. Concurrently, the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a widely cultivated plant in tropical and subtropical regions, generates substantial seed waste. Valorizing Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar (PSB) to enhance feed supplements and mitigate environmental impacts presents a potentially sustainable and eco-friendly solution. This study investigated the potential of date palm seed-derived biochar as a sustainable feed additive for dromedary camels to reduce methane (CH₄) emissions and improve gas production, nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and performance predictions using in vitro models.MethodsThe PSB was synthesized and stored at 4°C until use. Ruminal fluids were collected from growing camels (24-36 months old) at the nutrition laboratory and subsequently incubated at 37°C. The basal diet was supplemented with PSB at 0, 1, 2, and 4%, and the resulting data were analyzed using polynomial analysis. Gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and performance predictions were assessed.ResultsAt 6, 12, and 36 hours of incubation, all levels of PSB biochar supplementation resulted in a significant linear increase in gas production (p < 0.05). The inclusion of PSB significantly reduced CH₄ emissions in a quadratic manner (p < 0.001). The lowest reduction in CH₄ production was observed at the 1% and 2% PSB inclusion levels, with a greater reduction at the 4% level (quadratic effect; p < 0.001). A significant quadratic increase in TVFA production was observed with increasing PSB inclusion levels during the in vitro fermentation of camel diets (quadratic effect; p < 0.01). Furthermore, pH values significantly decreased with biochar supplementation, exhibiting a linear trend with the lowest values at the 4% level, followed by 2% and 1% (linear effect; p < 0.01). Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was improved by the addition of PSB compared to the control diet in camels (quadratic effect; p < 0.01). The inclusion of 1% or 2% PSB quadratically improved organic matter digestibility (%), metabolizable energy (DM), and net energy for lactation (NEL) in camels. Microbial crude protein (MCP) and purine derivatives (PD) were not significantly affected by PSB supplementation (p > 0.05).ConclusionIn summary, the addition of PSB enhanced gas production, nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and performance predictions, while concurrently mitigating methane emissions in vitro. This study underscores the potential of utilizing PSB as a valuable feed supplement and a sustainable feed additive for dromedary camels in extensive production systems.
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spelling doaj-art-d545daa7d2814bf384c94dc4ea842c122025-08-20T03:46:53ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Veterinary Science2297-17692025-08-011210.3389/fvets.2025.16324471632447Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictionsHesham S. Ghazzawy0Nashi K. Alqahtani1Nashi K. Alqahtani2Nashi K. Alqahtani3Abdullah Sheikh4Mohamed Shawky El Sayed5Roshmon Thomas Mathew6Hassan M. Ali-Dinar7Ehab El-Haroun8Mohamed M. A. Abd-Elkarim9Sameh A. Abdelnour10Ali S. A. Saleem11Date Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaDate Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Food and Nutrition Sciences, College of Agricultural and Food Sciences, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaFish Resources Research Center, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaCamel Research Center, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaAvian Research Center, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaFish Resources Research Center, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaDate Palm Research Center of Excellence, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi ArabiaDepartment of Integrative Agriculture, College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab EmiratesAnimal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, EgyptAnimal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, EgyptAnimal Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Sohag University, Sohag, EgyptIntroductionClimate change poses a significant environmental challenge to all living organisms. Camels exhibit notable resilience to these changes. Concurrently, the date palm (Phoenix dactylifera), a widely cultivated plant in tropical and subtropical regions, generates substantial seed waste. Valorizing Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar (PSB) to enhance feed supplements and mitigate environmental impacts presents a potentially sustainable and eco-friendly solution. This study investigated the potential of date palm seed-derived biochar as a sustainable feed additive for dromedary camels to reduce methane (CH₄) emissions and improve gas production, nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and performance predictions using in vitro models.MethodsThe PSB was synthesized and stored at 4°C until use. Ruminal fluids were collected from growing camels (24-36 months old) at the nutrition laboratory and subsequently incubated at 37°C. The basal diet was supplemented with PSB at 0, 1, 2, and 4%, and the resulting data were analyzed using polynomial analysis. Gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and performance predictions were assessed.ResultsAt 6, 12, and 36 hours of incubation, all levels of PSB biochar supplementation resulted in a significant linear increase in gas production (p < 0.05). The inclusion of PSB significantly reduced CH₄ emissions in a quadratic manner (p < 0.001). The lowest reduction in CH₄ production was observed at the 1% and 2% PSB inclusion levels, with a greater reduction at the 4% level (quadratic effect; p < 0.001). A significant quadratic increase in TVFA production was observed with increasing PSB inclusion levels during the in vitro fermentation of camel diets (quadratic effect; p < 0.01). Furthermore, pH values significantly decreased with biochar supplementation, exhibiting a linear trend with the lowest values at the 4% level, followed by 2% and 1% (linear effect; p < 0.01). Short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production was improved by the addition of PSB compared to the control diet in camels (quadratic effect; p < 0.01). The inclusion of 1% or 2% PSB quadratically improved organic matter digestibility (%), metabolizable energy (DM), and net energy for lactation (NEL) in camels. Microbial crude protein (MCP) and purine derivatives (PD) were not significantly affected by PSB supplementation (p > 0.05).ConclusionIn summary, the addition of PSB enhanced gas production, nutrient degradability, fermentation parameters, and performance predictions, while concurrently mitigating methane emissions in vitro. This study underscores the potential of utilizing PSB as a valuable feed supplement and a sustainable feed additive for dromedary camels in extensive production systems.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1632447/fullPhoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochargas productionmethane emissionsdegradabilityfermentation parameterspredicted camel’s performance
spellingShingle Hesham S. Ghazzawy
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Nashi K. Alqahtani
Abdullah Sheikh
Mohamed Shawky El Sayed
Roshmon Thomas Mathew
Hassan M. Ali-Dinar
Ehab El-Haroun
Mohamed M. A. Abd-Elkarim
Sameh A. Abdelnour
Ali S. A. Saleem
Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions
Frontiers in Veterinary Science
Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar
gas production
methane emissions
degradability
fermentation parameters
predicted camel’s performance
title Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions
title_full Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions
title_fullStr Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions
title_full_unstemmed Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions
title_short Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel: impacts gas production, methane emissions, nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters, performance predictions
title_sort phoenix dactylifera seed derived biochar as a sustainable and environmentally feed supplement in camel impacts gas production methane emissions nutrient degradability and fermentation parameters performance predictions
topic Phoenix dactylifera seed-derived biochar
gas production
methane emissions
degradability
fermentation parameters
predicted camel’s performance
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fvets.2025.1632447/full
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