New manufacturing technology for rumen-protected fat using Apis mellifera beeswax: yield, characterization, and ruminant feeding.

This study aimed to develop, characterize, and validate an encapsulant based on beeswax (BW) for rumen-protected fat (RPF) using the melting emulsification technique. Buriti oil (BO) was used as the core material, and BW was used as the encapsulating material at three different proportions of BW:BO (9:1, 4:1, and 2:1 g/g ratio respectively). RPF microspheres (BWBO9:1, BWBO4:1, and BWBO2:1) were characterized and tested in six 3-year-old castrated male Santa Ines sheep (average body weight of 56.5 ± 5.23 kg), fistulated and cannulated in the rumen, and randomly distributed in double Latin square design with 3 treatments × 3 periods. The microencapsulation efficiency increased with the addition of BO in the RPF ranging from 73 to 83%. There was a significant linear increase in the dry matter degradability (DMD) of BWBO2:1 (p < 0.05), stabilizing 12 h after the incubation of RPF in the rumen. BWBO4:1 showed a positive quadratic effect (p < 0.05) on DMD, peaking 6 h after incubation. BWBO9:1 showed the lowest DMD rate among RPF, maintaining DMD stable over the incubation time with no statistical difference over the 72 h (p > 0.05). BWBO9:1 promoted the lowest rumen pH compared to BWBO2:1 and BWBO4:1 (p < 0.05). The inclusion of BWBO2:1 in the diet provided the highest number of protozoa (p < 0.001) when compared to the sheep fed BWBO4:1 and BWBO9:1. There was no effect of incubation time on rumen pH and temperature. However, the protozoa count showed a quadratic effect with lower numbers of protozoa at 3 h, and higher amounts at 6 and 48 h. (p < 0.05). The use of RPF significantly altered the serum glucose (p < 0.001) with higher concentrations for BWBO2:1 and BWBO4:1 when compared to BWBO9:1. Lower blood triglyceride concentrations were observed in sheep fed BWBO2:1 (p < 0.001) when compared to BWBO4:1 and BWBO9:1. Beeswax matrix showed to be an efficient microencapsulant for BO using the melt-emulsification technique. The BWBO2:1 rumen-protected fat is best recommended for sheep diets because it increases energy density, rumen microorganisms and degradability without affecting rumen health.