This study was conducted to investigate the impact of dietary inclusion of Moringa oleifera leaf meal (MLM) as a substitution for soybean meal on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, rumen enzyme activity, blood metabolites, growth-related hormones, and growth performance of buffalo calves. Thirty buffalo calves eight to nine months of age with an average body weight of approximately 153.7 ± 0.97 kg were randomly distributed through three dietary treatments (ten calves/treatment). MLM inclusion rates were 15% (M15) and 20% (M20), replacing soybean meal by 50 and 75% in the concentrate mixture, respectively. The results indicated that, digestibility of dry matter, organic matter (OM), and crude fiber (CF) increased significantly (p < 0.05) with MLM inclusion, while the digestibility of crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE) reduced significantly (p < 0.05) with MLM addition. Dietary supplementation with MLM significantly affected (p < 0.001) rumen fermentation by reducing ruminal enzymes, ruminal ammonia-N, total protozoa, and acetate/propionate ratio and increasing acetic, propionic, and butyric acids and total volatile fatty acid concentrations (p < 0.001). Furthermore, dietary inclusion of 15% MLM significantly improved (p < 0.001) final body weight, dry matter intake of feed, daily weight gain, feed conversion efficiency, blood metabolites, and plasma insulin growth factor-I (IGF-I). It can be concluded that MLM is a multi-purpose protein supplement that provides some nutritional and therapeutic advantages when replacing 50% of soybean meal. Dietary supplementation of 15% MLM improved rumen fermentation, growth performance, blood metabolites, plasma IGF-I and mitigated ammonia and methane without any adverse effects in growing buffalo calves.

his study was conducted to determine the effects of zinc supplementation either from inorganic or organic sources on digestibility, blood metabolites and animal performance. Twelve buffalo calves of 11-13 months of age weighing 257.66 ± 26.41 kg were divided into three similar groups of 4 calves each, where G1 was served as control ration, and was fed the basal diet consisting of roughage and concentrate mixture. While the two tested groups were fed the same basal diet, but supplemented with 30 mg Zn//head/day of Zn sulphate (G2). And supplemented with 30 mg Zn//head/day as Zink methionine ( G3). The basal diet contains 28.3 mg/kg Zn, and , additionally, the doses of Zn in the tested groups were orally supplemented. All animals of these groups were fed 80% of their requirements as concentrate mixture and the rest of requirements were covered from wheat straw and alfalfa hay in equal quantities . The daily requirements of energy and crude protein for growing calves were cover according (NRC, 2001). Results indicated that supplemented Zn methionine or Zn sulphate to calves diet increased significantly (p< 0.05) all nutrient digestibilities and feeding value in terms of TDN and DCP as compared with control group. Also, Supplemented Zn methionine for calves' diet increased significantly (p< 0.05) the consenterion of serum Zn, plasma T3 and decreased significantly (p< 0.05) cholesterol concentration as compared with Zn sulphate and control groups. While , serum total protein, Albumin, globulin, and AST were not affected significantly by zinc supplementation from inorganic or organic sources in buffalos calves in comparison with control ration . The body weight and daily gain were significantly higher (P<0.05) for claves fed supplemented Zn-methionine or zinc sulphate ration, than those fed control one . The body weight gain in Zn-methionine group was increased by about 35.29% and 16.59 % than those fed control or zinc sulphate ration , respectively. There was no significant difference in total feed intake among different groups. Supplementation of Zn-meth significantly (P<0.05) improved the feed conversion efficiency and the feed cost/kg weight gain as compared with Zn sulphate and control groups.From the results of this study it could be concluded that supplemented zinc from inorganic or organic sources in buffalo's calves diets improved digestibility and performances of growing buffalo and calves could be recommended that supplement Zn-methionine to growing buffaloes calves rations under Upper Egypt conditions because of its higher bioavailability than Zn sulphate.

n experiment was conducted to compare the effect of organic (selenized yeast) and inorganic (Naselenite) selenium on nutrient digestibility, growth performance and blood parameters of growing buffalo claves. Fifteen Egyptian healthy male buffalo calves were divided randomly into three groups (5 animals each). The treatment groups were as follows: control group (G1) fed basal diet without selenium supplement and treated groups fed 0.22 mg Se/kg DM as either Na-Selenite (G2) or selenized yeast (G3) to the concentrate mixture. All animals were fed 70% of their requirements as concentrate mixture, while wheat straw given as roughages ad libitum The results indicated that there were significant (P<0.05) improvements in the digestibility coefficient of organic matter, crude protein, either extract and crude fibre due to dietary supplementation of both Se-yeast and Na-Selenite. No significant differences were observed in growth rate and total dry matter intake of calves between treatments groups. Dietary Se-yeast and Na-selenite supplementation led to significantly (P<0.05) improved fed conversion ratio for calves as compared with control group (10.86 and 11.09 vs. 11.99). Calves fed Se-yeast or Na-Selenite supplement had increased (P < 0.05) concentrations of selenium in whole blood, greater activity (P < 0.05) of blood glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) with lower (P < 0.05) cholesterol and urea concentration than those fed the control diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with Se-yeast was more effective than sodium selenite in improving nutrient digestibility, feed conversion efficiency and increasing both Se concentration and GSH-Px activity in the blood of buffalo calves.

No abstract

he current study was conducted to investigate the effect of addition green tea and tetracycline hydrochloride or both of them to growing buffalo rations on digestibility, blood metabolites and animal performance. Twelve buffalo calves of 11-13 months of age weighing 213 ±3.52 kg were divided into 4 groups of 3 animals each. Dried green tea was added to calves in basic diet (control) at levels of 0.5 % (T1), 1 % tetracycline hydrochloride (T2), and 1 % dried green tea and 1% tetracycline hydrochloride (T3) for 4 month experimental period . All animals of these groups were fed 80% of their requirements as concentrate mixture while wheat straw and alfalfa hay was given. The quantity of concentrate mixture was adjusted every month according to change in body weight (NRC, 2001). The results indicated that dietary supplementation of green tea and tetracycline, or both of them did not significantly (p<0.05) affect on all nutrient digestibility, except EE digestibility was significantly (p<0.05) lower in group T3 than control. No statistically significant differences were observed among the feed supplemented groups for blood proteins, namely albumin and globulin. Buffalos calves fed rations supplemented with tetracycline in T2 or tetracycline and green tea in T3 decreased significantly (P<0.05) serum total cholesterol as compared with those fed control and green tea rations (163.80 and 166.99 vs. 196.17 and 203.31 respectively). Also, no significant differences were observed among all treatments for ALT and AST. However, it was noticed that buffalos fed supplemented tetracycline and green tea in T3 tended to be lower by 3.5 % and 7.3 % for ALT and AST respectively than control group. On the other hand, performance of growing calves in terms of average daily gain, total dry matter intake and fed conversion ratio did not affected by supplemented green tea and tetracycline or both of them to rations. From the results of this study it can be concluded that incorporating green tea at a rate of 0.5 % and tetracycline at a rate of 1 %is Insufficient to improve digestibility and performances of growing buffalo, however mixed feed additive from green tea and tetracycline by rate 1% may be suitable for buffalo's calves, which slightly improvements were noticed.