his experiment was conducted at Ras Sudr Research Station belonging to Desert Research Center to elucidate the effect of feeding salt tolerant plants (Atriplex nummularia, Fodder beet, Pearl millet) silage (STPS) on productive performance of male Barki sheep under arid and salinity conditions of Southern Sinai, Egypt. Sixteen male Barki sheep (31.42 ±1.79 kg and 4 months age) were randomly divided into two equal groups (8 each). The first group (control) was fed 40% berseem hay (BH) from total ration and served as control. The second group (STPS) was fed ad liptum salt tolerant plants silage (Atriplex nummularia 50%, Fodder beet 35% and Pearl millet 10%) and the final mixture was sprayed with 5% molasses. All experimental lambs were fed concentrate feed mixture (CFM) as 60% percentage for total rations according to nutrient requirements. Results revealed that wide variations in chemical composition of the experimental roughages. It can be seen that STPS have lower contents of Dry matter (DM), Organic matter (OM), Crude protein (CP), Natural detergent fiber (NDF), Acid detergent fiber (ADF), than BH. However, STPS was higher than BH in ash content. Voluntary feed intake showed not significant differences between the two experimental groups of total and CFM intake. However, STPS group had lower (P< 0.05) roughage intake than control group. Animals fed STPS had higher (P<0.05) crude protein digestibility than the control group. Moreover, there were not significant differences between the two experimental groups of DM, CF, NDF and ADF digestibility. Feeding STPS lowered (P<0.05) free drinking, fecal, urinary and total water execration than control group. Ruminal parameters declared that, there were no significant (P< 0.05) differences in pH values, ammonia nitrogen concentration and total volatile fatty acids concentrations. Commonly, all ruminal parameters in the present study were within normal range of sheep. Blood biochemistry parameters showed significant (P<0.05) increase only for total proteins in control group compared to STPS group. Vastly, all values of blood biochemistry were within the normal ranges. Results of blood picture parameters except for WBC's (significantly decreased for STPS group) were not affected (P< 0.05) by the experimental rations fed to lambs. Weights of fattened lambs are didn't appear any significant (P<0.05) differences between groups. On the other hand, the cheapest price of roughage for STPS group reflected positively on economical evaluation than that resulted by BH. It could be concluded that feeding salt tolerant plants silage without serious nutritional hazards, would be an avenue to overcome the problem of feedstuff shortage prevailed under arid and salinity conditions of Sinai, Egypt.

he present experiment was aimed to study the effect of sprouted barley grains (Hordeum vulgare L.) on a mixture of olive cake and rice straw (50:50) as a media without (T2) or with 1% (T3), 2% (T4), or 3% (T5) of urea solutions in comparison with the control Alfalfa, (Medicago sativa). All diets were fed ad libitum for 45 days. The experiment was performed on twenty desert male goats (18 months old) with an initial body weight of 24.34±1.29 kg randomly divided into five equal groups, (4 animals per group). Five digestibility trials were conducted to evaluate nutrients digestibility and nitrogen balance for experimental roughages. Results showed that the treatments with sprouted barely increased CP content while OM, NDF, ADF and ADL contents were decreased. The highest values of DMI due to the higher palatability for animals fed T5 compared with control group; the same group revealed a significant improvement on CP, EE, NDF and hemicellulose digestibility. The highest TDN% value was recorded by animals fed T5 (58.55%) followed by T1, T4, T3 and the lowest value was for T2. Highest (P≤0.01) DCP% was 9.24% which recorded by T1 followed by T5, T4, T3 and T2, respectively. All animals were in positive N-balance but animals fed on T2 retained the least amount of nitrogen balance (mg/kg BW) among treatments. Goats fed sprouted barely grains treated with urea solutions had significantly (P≤0.01) higher total volatile fatty acids and ammonia concentrations in rumen at 3 hours post feeding. In conclusion, goats in T5 recorded the best TDN, DCP and nitrogen balance with normal blood parameters.

The objectives of this study were to evaluate Sprouted techniques by planting white corn seeds (Zea Mays L.) on four roughage mixtures of date palm leaves (Phoenix dactylifera L.) and potatoes peels waste (Solanum tuberosum). Twenty five desert male goats averaged (eighteen months old) 22.76 ±1.29 kg live body weight were divided randomly into five equal groups (5 animals each) to receive one of the following experimental roughages R1: alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hay (control), R2: 75% potatoes peel waste (PPW) + 25% date palm leaves (DPL), R3: 50% potatoes peel waste (PPW) + 50% date palm leaves (DPL), R4: 25% potatoes peel waste (PPW) +75% date palm leaves (DPL) and R5: 100% date palm leaves (DPL). Goats were used in feeding trial lasted about fourty five days. The metabolism trial was conducted after the feeding trial to get the most nutritious sprouts green fodder (SGF) with concentrate feed mixture (CFM). Results showed that sprouting corn seeds on potatoes peel waste (PPW) and date palm leaves (DPL) as a media had increased CP, EE, C.CHO and ash contents while decreased OM, CF, NDF and ADF contents as compared with none sprouted media. Sprouted corn seeds on PPW or DPL revealed a significant (P≤0.05) improvement in digestibility coefficients of DM, EE and C.CHO. Nutritive values expressed as TDNg/Kg B.W. and DCP% increased significantly (P≤0.05) in sprouted mixtures as compared with control (R1). Goats fed R3 had (P≤0.05) lowest total feed intake and highest digestibility coefficients of DM, CP, EE, C.CHO and DCP. Also, goats fed the treated mixture R3 retained higher (P≤0.05) nitrogen values and nitrogen intake comparable with other studied groups. Goats fed sprouted mixtures had improved (P≤0.05) values of total water intake and decreased urinary water execration. Sprouted corn seeds had improved Na and K balances (g/kg BW) as compared with control group (R1). Goats fed sprouted mixtures had significantly higher (P≤0.05) values of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), ruminal ammonia (NH3-N), serum total proteins, albumin, globulin, urea and creatinin compared with control group. In conclusion we can produce green fodder by utilizing dried potatoes peel waste (PPW) and date palm leaves (DPL) as a media mixture (50% PPW and 50% DPL) by simple methodology using sprouts corn without any harmful effect on desert goats under dry season.

This study was conducted to evaluate alfalfa (Medicago sativa) [control], with two unsprouted leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) (LTP) and olive tree pruning (Olea europaea) (OTP) and also to study the effect of new sprouts technique (planting) of white corn grains on (LTP) and (OTP) as media to produce green fodder in dry seasons. Twenty five desert male goats (21 months old) with average 23.42±0.91kg live body weight. The animals were randomly divided into five groups of 5 animals each to receive one of the following experimental roughages: T1: alfalfa hay (control), T2: unsprouted leucaena trees pruning (LTP), T3: unsprouted olive trees pruning (OTP), T4: sprouted pruning leucaena trees (SLTP) and T5: sprouted pruning olive trees (SOTP). Goats were used in feeding trial lasted for fourty five days. The metabolism trial was conducted after the feeding trial to get the most nutritious sprouts green fodder (SGF) with concentrate feed mixture (CFM). Results showed that dried leucaena trees pruning (T2) and olive trees pruning (T3) had lower contents of CP, ash, NFE, C.CHO, sodium and potassium, with higher contents of CF, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose compared with that of alfalfa hay (T1). On the other hand, CP, ash, EE, C.CHO, sodium and potassium contents were higher; while, OM, CF, NDF, ADF and hemicellulose content was lower in sprouted than unsprouted leucaena and olive trees pruning. Goats fed sprouted treatments (T4 and T5) clearly recorded higher (P≤0.05) digestibility coefficients of CP, CF, EE, NFE, NDF, ADL, hemicellulose and C.CHO than unsprouted treatments (T2 and T3). TDN g/kg B.W was higher in goats fed T4 and T1 followed by T5, T2 and the lowest T3. Highest DCP g/kg B.W and DCP% were recorded by T4 compared with other rations; while, lowest values of DCP g/kg B.W and DCP% were recorded by T3. Also, goats fed sprouted roughages had improved (P≤0.05) values of total water intake and decreased urinary water execration. Sprouted corn seeds improved Na and K balance (g/kg BW). Goats fed sprouted roughages had higher (P≤0.05) values of total volatile fatty acids (VFA), ruminal ammonia (NH3-N) concentration. Serum urea-N, creatinine, total proteins, albumin, globulin, and AST, cholesterol and potassium were significantly higher in goats fed T4 compared with other treatments reflecting good developed immunity.

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