This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of partial substitution of corn grain by discarded dates on silage quality and their effect on digestibility, milk production and composition. Sixteen crossbreed lactating Friesian cows were assigned to four balanced groups and fed individually for 90 days on experimental rations whereas: all the groups were received a basal diet with one of four kinds of silages as follows: 100 % crushed corn grain (T1), 75 % crushed corn grain + 25% discarded dates (T2), 50 % crushed corn grain + 50 % discarded dates (T3) and 25 % crushed corn grain + 75 % discarded dates (T4) on gross energy based, respectively. Results found that there was slight tendency to increase silage DM content with increasing the entry level of discarded dates. Silages containing discarded dates displayed OM and ash contents nearly identical to those of the control diet. The pH values of the tested silage samples ranged from 3.89 in S1 to 3.72 in S4. The ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in silage was decreased with increasing proportion of discarded dates in the silage. The digestibility coefficient of DM and OM were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the diets containing discarded dates than in the control diet. However, there was insignificant (P>0.05) increases in the digestibility of CP, CF, NDF and ADF for dietary treatment T2, T3 and T4 compared to the control (T1). Also, no significantly (P>0.05) different of dry matter intake was observed among dietary treatments. The highest actual milk and 4% fat corrected milk yield were recorded with T4 (10.87 and 10.24, respectively), while the lowest values for these items were corresponding to T1 (10.06 and 8.56, respectively) but the differences were not significant. Regarding of milk pH value, milk protein and ash contents have the same trend among groups with nonsignificant different among groups. However, there were significant differences in the milk percentages of fat, solid not fat (SNF), lactose and total solids between T1 (the lowest one) and each of T2, T3 and T4. Results of this study indicated that partial replacement of yellow corn grains by discarded dates up to 75% as a source of energy in silage did not show any negative effect on digestibility, feed efficiency, milk yield and composition in crossing Friesian cows.
Ninety weaned New Zealand White (NZW) male rabbits at 6 weeks of age (mean initial body weight, (762.60g) were used to evaluate the potential of ziziphus spina-christi leaves (sidr) as natural growth promoters of growing rabbits. Rabbits were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (n=30 in each group) in a simple randomized design experiment and fed individually during experimental period (8 weeks). The control group (diet 1) was fed a diet without Sider leaves (SL); the experimental groups were fed the same diet with 10 (diet 2), and 20g SL/kg diet (diet 3). This was followed by 5 days of feeding as a collection period to determine nutrients digestibility of the tested diets. Final live weight, total weight gains and average daily gain (ADG) were significantly higher for diet 3 (20 g SL/kg diet) than for others. Rabbits fed control diet showed almost the lowest values (P<0.05) of the digestibility of various feed components. It was observed that rabbits taking diet 3 had significantly higher (P<0.05) TDN and DCP compared with those taking control diet. The best nitrogen balance (P<0.05) recorded with rabbits fed diet 3, which followed by those fed diet 2 and control diet (0 g SL/Kg diet), respectively. The NH 3-N value of diet1 group was significantly (P<0.05) higher compared with others. The total anaerobic bacteria count in control group was higher (P<0.05) than others. However, rabbits of group 2 and 3 recorded the highest total anaerobic cellulolytic bacteria count values. Whereas, total protein levels in blood serum of rabbits fed diet 3 were significantly lower (P<0.05) than that in the control group by 15.65%, respectively. However, urea nitrogen, uric acid and creatinine values were also significantly (P<0.05) higher in the control group than in group 3. Dressing
Insects continue to receive considerable interest as a potential nutrient source and as nutraceuticals. In this study, the effects of diets containing 25 and 50% of Vespa orientalis meal (VOM) as a replacement for soybean meal (control: 100%), on the reproductive potential of 90-day-old V-line male rabbits (average weight: 1.06±0.03 kg) were investigated. Bucks fed the 50% VOM diet demonstrated the highest increase in body weight, reaction time, and testicular weight at maturity, and their gonadal sperm reserves (GSR) increased significantly (P<0.001) compared with those of other experimental groups. GSR in the testis was significantly (P<0.001) higher in rabbits fed a diet containing VOM than the control group. Epididymal sperm reserves in caput, corpus, and cauda increased significantly (P<0.001) as the percentage of VOM increased in the diets of bucks. The daily sperm production per gram in the testis of bucks fed with diets containing VOM improved significantly (P<0.05; by 39.67 and 62.13% when provided with diets containing 25 and 50% VOM, respectively) compared with that in the control group. Similarly, testosterone and follicle-stimulating hormone levels were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the VOM-fed groups than in the control group. However, luteinising hormone levels declined (P<0.05) in the VOM- provided groups than in the control group. Supplementation with different VOM levels significantly (P<0.001) enhanced the serum total antioxidant capacity, and glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase activities, and decreased the serum malondialdehyde levels compared with the control group. Serum biochemical traits, including protein and lipid profiles and glucose concentration, were significantly improved in bucks fed with VOM-supplemented diets. In conclusion, dietary VOM supplementation promotes the daily sperm production, testicular sperm reserves, sexual hormone production, and antioxidant capacity of V-line bucks.
Aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of inclusion dried leftover food (DLF) in the ration of crossbred calves (Balady x Friesian), on their growth performance, rumen function and blood parameters through a comparative feeding trial. Fifteen male crossbred calves (258±1 kg), were randomly assigned into three similar groups (five in each) and fed the tested rations for 16 weeks, as an experimental period. The tested rations were formulated from concentrate feed mixture (CFM) that partially substituted by 0, 20 and 40% of DLF for CFM1, CFM2 and CFM3, respectively, plus bagasse as a roughage portion for formulate the experimental rations R1 (control), R2 and R3 as tested one, respectively. Results showed that most nutrient digestibility coefficients and feeding values were improved with the higher level of DLF (40%) in ration, than R2 and R1 (control). NH3-N and pH values in rumen liquor were decreased with increasing the level of DLF up to 40% (R3) in rations. The vice versa trend was found among dietary treatments respecting TVFA´s concentrations in the rumen. Insignificant differences among tested rations in respect of most blood metabolites were found. Total body weight gain and daily gain were significantly higher only with (R3) than those of R1 (control). Economic efficiency was improved by feeding ration that contained 40% DLF (R3) in comparison with R1. This study concluded that considerably to use dry leftover food up to 40% level could be recommended for formulation the rations of crossbred cow calves.
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