This study was conducted to investigate the effects of 10 weeks supplementation of Quebracho tannins (QT; 0 [control], 100 [QT 100 ] or 200 g/[cow·d] [QT 200 ]) to 30 multiparous postpartum buffalo cows (10 cows per group) on milk yield and composition, blood metabolites and reproductive performance. Supplementation of QT 100 had no significant effect on milk yield, whereas QT 200 decreased ( P < 0.05) this trait. Compared with the control group, both QT levels decreased ( P < 0.05) fat-corrected milk (FCM) yield, but no significant effects were found on percentages of milk fat and protein. Contrariwise, yields of milk fat, lactose and milk protein were decreased ( P < 0.05) when QT 200 was supplemented. The solids nonfat (SNF) percentage and yield were decreased ( P < 0.05) with QT 100 supplementation. Moreover, QT tended to numerically reduce total number of ovarian follicles, number of small follicles, peripheral progesterone concentration and conception rate. Supplementation of QT 200 numerically increased number of large follicles, mean diameter of large follicle, number and diameters of corpora lutea. The inclusion of QT 200 shortened days open (DO) and decreased number of services per conception. Contrariwise, QT did not show significant effects on serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides concentrations. Supplementation of QT 100 caused an increase ( P < 0.05) of serum urea compared with that in control and QT200 groups. Generally, QT decreased ( P < 0.05) serum creatinine concentration. Therefore, the supplementation of a commercial QT to early lactating Egyptian buffalo cows displayed negative consequences on their productive and reproductive performances.

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Aflatoxin B 1 is the most potent hepatocarcinogen known in animals and it is classified by the International Agency of Research on Cancer (IARC) as Group I carcinogen meaning that it is a proven cancer-inducing agent. It also occurs in the environment contaminating a lot of different food and feed commodities. The aim of this study was to assess the possible effect of gamma irradiation on the reduction of aflatoxin B 1 in some cereal grains and the impact on nutritive values including, ash, &moisture. It was found that maize samples contain the highest level of aflatoxin B 1 than wheat and rice. Gamma irradiation is a suitable technique which reduces the levels of aflatoxin B 1 in cereal samples without affecting the nutritive values, at 4 KGy the reduction percents of aflatoxin B 1 were 15.54%, 22.25%, and 27.46% for maize, wheat, and rice respectively whereas at 6 KGy the reduction percents of aflatoxin B 1 were 32.39%, 43.84%, and 56.38% respectively and the 8 KGy radiation dose remove about 60.26% of the toxin in maize, 64.68% in rice and 69.29% in wheat samples. Higher radiation doses than 8 KGy are required to remove the toxin until it reaches the legal limit (5ppb) according to FAO.

Exploring new alternative sources of feedstuffs can contribute to animal production sustainability in some Mediterranean regions in order to overcome the rising food demand. The influence of dietary replacement of wheat straw (WS) with orange waste silage (OWS) on nutrient intakes, apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation and blood biochemical constituents and milk production of dairy goats were evaluated. Forty pregnant goats (46.30±1.6 kg BW) were housed in individual pens in a completely randomized design and fed (ad libitum) a TMR for 75 days period. Goats were assigned to four experimental diets with the forage amounts consisting of either WS as a control diet (1000 g WS/kg DM in the TMR), a 50:50 mixture of both WS and OWS (500 g WS and 500 g OWS/kg DM in the TMR), an orange waste silage (1000 g OWS/kg DM in the TMR) or corn silage as a positive control (1000 g CS/kg DM in the TMR). The DMI increased linearly (P < 0.01), while fiber fractions intake decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with increasing of OWS in the diet. Ruminal pH was increased quadratically (P < 0.01), whereas NH3-N concentration and total protozoa abundance decreased quadratically (P < 0.01) with increasing OWS in the diet. Ruminal acetate content was increased linearly (P = 0.012) by diet; whereas linear effects were observed on propionate and butyrate proportions (P < 0.01) as OWS amount increased. Blood urea nitrogen (BUN), non-esterified free fatty acids (NEFA) and β-Hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) levels decreased linearly (P < 0.01) with ascending amounts of OWS. Serum glucose, BUN, NEFA and BHBA levels were lower (P < 0.01) for goats fed the OWS diet than those fed the CS diet. Milk yield and milk nitrogen efficiency were linearly increased (P < 0.01), whereas quadratic effects (P = 0.049) were observed on milk urea nitrogen content with increasing dietary OWS. In conclusion, the replacement of WS with OWS enhanced rumen fermentation and milk yield of late pregnant and early lactation Barki goats.

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This investigation research was performed to compare between Barki lambs and Barki kids in feed intake, nutritive value, digestibility, body weight gain, and some rumen and blood parameters when fed three different tanniniferous shrubs. The forage concentrate ratio in all groups was 60%:40%. The forages were Acacia saligna, Prosopis juliflora and Cassava (G1, G2, and G3 respectively). The results indicated that the total DM intake (g/h/d) was decreased in G2 compared with G1 and G3. The digestibility of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and crude fiber (CF) were increased by goats compared with sheep, while nitrogen utilization was nearly similar between both species and the highest value was recorded with G3 vs. G1 or G2. The highest concentration of rumen fluid NH3-N and TVFA's were recorded with goats vs. sheep. Moreover, animals fed Acacia showed the lowest value in NH3-N and TVFA's than those fed Prosopis or Cassava. Feed conversion (g CP/kg gain) tended to decrease with goats vs. sheep. The measured blood parameters show slight differences due to the source of shrubs, where all levels were within the normal ranges. So, tanniniferous shrubs could have used without any adverse effect on intake, water utilization and growth performance which improves the economic return of raising sheep and goats under semi-desert conditions of the North-Western Coast in Egypt. Ke ywo rds Acacia salignaBlood parameters Cassava Feed utilization Prosopis juliflora Rumen W. M. A. Sadek et al. (2020) / Comparative study of tanniniferous shrubs as an alternative source of feed on performance of sheep vs. goats under semi-desert conditions of the north western-coast of Egypt 2 and unpalatable plant species represent approximately 70% of the total coverage (El Shaer, 2003). Several attempts made towards utilization of such low value or unpalatable halophytic plants through proper processing methods to improve their palatability and nutritional utilization. Under semi-arid area conditions, small ruminants fed on trees and shrubs such as Cassava and Acacia to solve the attendant problems of low productivity (El Shaer 2010 andEissa et al., 2015a). However, such trees and shrubs foliage are generally rich in anti-nutritional factors, particularly tannins (Makkar, 2003). Feeding a mixture of these fodder shrubs could minimize or overcome the problems of palatability and toxic effects (

ive dietary treatments in three trails were conducted with Barki sheep as follows: 60% Concentrate feed mixture (CFM) and 20% Ammoniated wheat straw ( AWS) as basic diet with 20% Cassava (C) in T1, 20% Prosopis juliflora (P) in T2, 20% Acacia Saligna (A) in T3, 10% C + 10% A in T4 and 10% C + 10% P in T5. In Trial 1, Fifteen Barki rams (43± 1.85 kg) divided into equally five treatment groups to evaluate the effect of condensed tannin sources on apparent nutrients digestibility. The results indicated that the rams fed with T3 (20 % A. Saligna) at a maximum level of tannin (8.33 g /Kg DM) had a lower DMI (9.72 %) than the comparable group (T1) (P<0.05). Lower level of CT (3.87 g/Kg) in T2 diet have higher the digestibility coefficient (P>0.05) of DM, OM, CP, EE and CF than that on T1 diet by 3.90, 3.57, 1.87, 3.16 and 1.04%, respectively. Rumen ammonia concentrations were decreased with increasing of CT content in experimental diets (T3, T4, T1, T5 and T2, respectively). In Trial 2, Twenty five healthy Barki ewes at late pregnancy, weighing 41±2.29 kg at 3-5 years of age were randomly allocated into five dietary treatments to determine the milk yield and composition and some blood components changes due to tannin sources and productive performance of their offesprings. There was a significant increase (P<0.05) in milk yield with decreasing level of CT (6.42%) for ewes fed T2 ration when compared with the T1 group and there is no considerable variability in milk composition traits among all groups. And no significantly differences in average live body weight (ALBW) of offesprings among the all groups. The experimental diet T2 and T5 had significant increased (P<0.05) total protein and globulin (G) compared with the other experimental diets. No significant differences among different treatments regarding albumin was observed. Groups T3 and T4 have higher levels (P<0.05) of Urea-N and Creatinine when compared with the other groups. Values of AST and ALP were significantly higher (P<0.05) for the ewes in group T3 as compared to all groups, and the highest values of ALT were recorded (P<0.05) with T3. In Trial 3, Twenty-five healthy male Barki lambs after weaning, weighing 12±0.64 kg, aged 3-4 month divided into five groups to evaluate the effect of tannin sources on growth performance and some blood components. The lambs fed diets T2 and T5 produced totally (P<0.05) higher final live body weight (29.03 Kg and 28.16 Kg, respectively) at the end of the experimental period (90 days) compared to the other groups. The results indicate that the experimental tanniniferous plants can be incorporated up to 20 % with ammoniated wheat straw without compromising the body health of the animals and the best impact of tanniniferous plants on the performance of Barki sheep was Prosopis juliflora (leaves & twigs), Cassava and Acacia Saligna, respectively.

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