A trail was conducted to determine utilization of diet containing poultry excreta with different sources of nitrogen by cattle or buffalo rumen microorganisms in vitro. The aim was to find alternative sources of protein and low prices ruminant diets. Commercial broiler house excreta were used as 10% of a ration. Supplemented diets were basal diet with 10% poultry excreta alone or either with 3 g/kg yeast or 1.5 g urea/kg feed or both as well as 2% molasses. The basal diet comprised 40% concentrates and 60% wheat straw on dry matter (DM) basis as a control diet. All diets were inoculated with rumen fluid of cattle or buffalo. Digestibility of DM was not significantly influenced by both species and diets. However, organic matter (OM) digestion varied significantly with different diets, the highest value was obtained by yeast, urea, poultry excreta and molasses group (64.70%). Species and diets showed significant differences in neutral digested fiber (NDF) digestion. The highest values were obtained by buffalo and the yeast, urea, poultry excreta and molasses group (65.09%). Ammonia production was significantly increased by adding urea to the diet (12.64 and 13.79). Total volatile fatty acid and acetic acid % were produced significantly higher by cattle and the group of poultry excreta only. A buffalo rumen fluid produced higher propionic acid% and less acetic: propionic percent than cattle. The total number of microorganisms influenced significantly by diet only, as yeast, urea, poultry excreta and molasses group obtained the highest number.

The study was conducted in one of the private fields of Wasit Governorate for the period from 22/1/2019 to 11/5/2019. The study aimed to investigate the impact of feeding different levels of saponins on the productive performance of Awassi lambs. Sixteen Awassi lambs aged three-four months with an average weight of 23.68 kg were used. The lambs were randomly divided into four experimental treatments with four animals for each. The diet provided at 3% of the body weight. The feed was provided with two meals (8 am and 4 pm). The 1st treatment was control (without addition), while in the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th treatments, saponins was added at level of 60, 120 and 180 mg.kg-1 DM feed respectively. Adding saponins at 180 mg.kg-1 DM increased the final body weight at the second and third months of the study with 34.35 and 40.36 kg, respectively. Total gain was increased in this treatment from 15.03 kg in control to 17.47 kg. Feed conversion ratio of the same treatment was 5.52 as compared with 6.24 kg.kg-1 feed for the control treatment. Glucose and protein concentrations in the serum also showed an improvement due to the addition of saponins. Values were, 57.24 mg.100 ml-1 and 4.83 g.100 ml-1 respectively. Those of control group were 51.86 mg.100 m-1 and 4.62 g.100 ml-1 respectively. Cholesterol concentration in the serum was not affected by addition of different levels of saponins. It can be concluded that addition of saponins at 180 mg. kg-1 feed improved body weight, gain, feed conversion ratio and some serum biochemical parameters.

Faba beans are a major protein source for both ruminant and non-ruminant species. A current study focuses on the in vitro digestion of five dietary regimens with different levels of faba bean (Vicia faba), 0 (control), 5% (T2), 5% + formalin (T3), 10% (T4), and 10% + formalin (T5). The in vitro fermentation characteristics were studied for 48 h using rumen liquid from sheep as inoculum. Gas production during the period of incubation was recorded. The digestibility of dry matter and the volatile fatty acid were calculated at the fermentation end. Evident in vitro degradability of DM (ivTDDM), OM degradability (ivOMD) was decreased by the degree of expansion as faba replaced soya bean meal at 10% especially with formalin. Microbial weight (g / kg DM) factor of partitioning (PF), and ammonia concentration were slightly lower by adding 10 percent of faba beans with formalin or without. Metabolizable vitality (ME) (MJ/ kg DM), volatile fatty acid and microbial production efficiency (MPE) were more common in all types of diets. In conclusion replacing soybeans with faba beans did not lead to significant changes to the rumen fermentation and digestion of sheep nutrients. The findings of this study support the likelihood that faba bean might be used in ruminant nutrition with the benefit that it has a distinct nutritional characteristic that affect the parameters of in vitro fermentation.

This study was conducted in one of the private fields in Maysan province to study the effect of adding a different level of bentonite to the lamb diets on the performance of lambs. The study included (18) male Arabi lambs weighted 24.5±1.22 kg and lasted 120 days. Lambs were taken after weaning at the age of 3 to 4 months. They were randomly divided into six groups. The diet was provided on the basis of 3% of live body weight. The diets of the trial included (A) a basic diet of 50% concentrated fodder + 50 alfalfa without any addition. (B) A plus 2% bentonite/ dry matter. (C) A plus 4% bentonite/ dry matter. Treatment (D) a diet of 100% concentrated feed + hay ad libitum (basic diet 2) and without any addition. (E) D plus 2% bentonite. (F) D plus 4% bentonite. The diet significantly affected the average final weight and total weight gain in favor of lambs fed treatment D (100% concentrated feed) with average final weight and total weight gain 46.57 and 22.11 kg, respectively. The addition of bentonite improved the rates of the rate of total weight gain is 17.71, 20.85 and 19.50 kg without adding and adding bentonite (2%) and bentonite (4%), respectively. The diet significantly affected the digestion rate of DM, OM, CP, EE, and NDF. Their digestion coefficients of 100% concentrate group were (75.98, 80.70, 80.09, 65.31 and 31.67%, respectively). 50% concentrated fodder (70.26, 71.53, 76.22, 45.47 and 27.36%, respectively).

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