Oak acorn contains high levels of tannins which have capacity to form complexes with proteins and consequently reduce their availability and as a result it could reduce colostrum quality and immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis. Thus, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary oak (Quercus persica) acorn (OA) level during the last 60 days of pregnancy on colostrum composition and plasma metabolites and IgG level of goats and their kids. In all, 24 multiparous pregnant goats (41.7±2.3 kg BW) were assigned into one of the three experimental diets consisted of control diet (without OA) and diets containing 20% (OA20) or 40% (OA40) OA on dry matter basis. Goats fed OA40 had lower BW change compared with other groups (P⩽0.05). Kids birth weight was not affected by experimental diets (P>0.05). Goats fed OA containing diets had lower plasma glucose, triglyceride and Fe concentrations compared with those fed the control diet (P<0.01). Plasma IgG (P<0.01) and urea (P<0.05) concentrations were lower in goats fed OA40 compared with others. Animals fed OA containing diets had higher plasma alanine aminotransferase than those fed the control diet (P<0.05). Goats fed OA40 produced colostrum with lower fat (P⩽0.05) and lactose (P<0.01) contents compared with other animals. Goats fed OA containing diets had lower colostrum IgG level than those fed the control diet (P⩽0.05). Kids plasma total protein concentration was not affected by experimental diets (P>0.05), whereas kids born from goats fed OA containing diets had lower plasma IgG level compared with the control diet (P<0.01). It is concluded that feeding OA during the last 60 days of pregnancy decreased colostrum quality which may have adverse effect on kid’s survival.
This experiment was conducted to study the effect of ensiled and dried Apple Pomace (AP) obtained from puree making on finishing performance of lambs. Digestibilities of both ensiled and dried AP were determined using 4 mature sheep. In finishing experiment, 18 Sanjabi male lambs were used (9 per treatment) in a 120 day finishing experiment which was divided into two periods (60 day each). In the first period the ensiled AP and in the second period the dried AP were fed in an iso caloric, iso nitrogenous total mix ration. The Dry Matter (DM), crude protein and neutral detergent fiber of ensiled and dried AP were 247.1, 63.85, 386.4 g kg(-1) DM and 888.4, 51.2, 385.6 g kg(-1) DM, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the apparent digestibility of ensiled and dried AP. The apparent DM digestibilities of ensiled and dried AP were 704.3 and 668.2 g kg(-1) DM, respectively. Feeding ensiled AP significantly increased Dry Matter Intake (0.938 vs. 0.803 kg day(-1)), Average Daily Gain (ADG) (199.8 vs. 155.56 g) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) (4.69 vs. 5.16). Use of dried AP had no significant effect on DMI (1.030 vs. 0.932 kg day(-1)) but significantly improved the ADG (192.3 vs. 123.82 g) and FCR (5.36 vs. 7.52). Apple pomace increased carcass dressing percentage but had no effect on the percentage of different cuts. Results of this study suggest that AP, in both ensiled and dried forms, can improve the performance of finishing lambs.
The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of dietary rumen undegradable protein (RUP) level and rumen-protected conjugated linoleic acid (rpCLA) on meat fatty acid (FA) profile, chemical compositions and colour parameters of growing kids. Thirty-two Kurdish goat kids (13·06 ± 1·08 kg body weight) were fed diets differing in RUP level (low = 250 v. high = 350 g/kg of dietary crude protein) supplemented either with 15 g/kg of rpCLA or 12 g/kg of hydrogenated soyabean oil (HSO) for 80 d. Interaction of dietary rpCLA and RUP level had no effect on hot carcass weight, dressing and cut percentage, and meat chemical composition and colour parameters. Meat total SFA, MUFA and PUFA concentrations were not influenced by experimental diets, whereas kids fed diets supplemented with rpCLA had lower meat total SFA and higher PUFA concentrations compared with those fed diets supplemented with HSO. The concentration of meat trans-11-8 : 1 was not influenced by rpCLA supplementation, RUP level and their interaction. Kids fed diets containing rpCLA supplementation had higher meat total CLA and cis-9, trans-11-CLA and trans-10, cis-12-CLA isomers compared with those fed diets containing HSO supplementation. Desaturase indexes of C14, C16 and C18 were not influenced by rpCLA supplementation, RUP level and their interaction. It is concluded that supplementing growing kids’ diets with RUP and 15 g/kg of rpCLA not only decreased meat fat content but also increased some FA considered to be of potential benefit to human health.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.