Evaluation of rumen-protected choline additive to diet on productive performance of male Zaraibi growing goats during hot summer season in Egypt

Abstract

Twenty Zaraibi goat bucks were used in this experiment which lasted 3 months during summer season of Egypt. The animals were divided randomly into two equal groups. The first group was kept without treatment as control while in the second group, rumen-protected choline (RPC) at the level of 20 g/buck/day was added to the concentrate feed mixture at the morning feeding. RPC additives to diet of Zaraibi goat bucks during the period of hot summer season increased (P < 0.01) total gain and average daily gain compared to the control group. RPC increased (P < 0.05) dry matter intake and feed conversion while water intake was not affected by RPC additives. RPC increased (P < 0.05) red and white blood cell (RBC × 10, WBC × 10) counts and hemoglobin concentration and hematocrit percentage. RPC increased total protein (P < 0.05), globulin, and γ-globulin (P < 0.01). On the other hand, total lipids, total cholesterol, and triglyceride concentrations decreased (P < 0.05 and P < 0.05) while phospholipids, glucose, and choline concentrations increased (P < 0.01) due to RPC supplementation. RPC increased (P < 0.01) thyroxin and triiodothyronine, increased (P < 0.05) testosterone levels, and decreased (P < 0.01) cortisol level compared with control bucks. It is concluded that dietary RPC at the rate of 20 g daily is required for growing male goats, especially, under heat stress conditions of summer season in Egypt and showed the best results concerning the growth, feed conversion, blood metabolites, and economic efficiency.

Effects of rumen-protected choline supplied at different dietary energy levels on growth performance and meat quality of fattening goats

“…In the present study, any effect of RPC supplementation on AST and ALT was found, indicating that the goats were in good health. This result was consistent with the findings of Habeeb et al (2017), who did not observe any effect of RPC supplementation on plasma AST and ALT in growing male Zaraibi goats. Serum urea nitrogen is an important indicator of nitrogen metabolism in the body.…”

“…The effect of RPC was greater when supplemented in low-energy diets. A similar response was observed by Habeeb et al (2017), who reported the best growth, feed conversion, blood metabolite levels and economic efficiency in Zaraibi goats fed diets supplemented with RPC, particularly subjected to heat stress during the Egyptian summer. We assumed that RPC supplementation may have a greater effect under stress conditions, such as high temperature or low dietary energy.…”

“…China, it was shown that dietary supplementation with 0.25% RPC can promote weight gain in young lambs and improve meat quality (Li et al, 2015). In a subsequent study conducted in Egypt during summer it was found that RPC supplementation at 20 g/buck/day in growing male Zaraibi goats under heat stress yielded the best growth performance, feed conversion and blood metabolite levels, and economic efficiency (Habeeb et al, 2017). These studies demonstrate that choline supplementation in growing sheep can effectively improve production performance and meat quality.…”

Evaluation of an herbal choline feed plant additive in lamb feedlot rations

“…Bryant et al (1999) observed that ADG improved with 2.5 g/kg DM RPC in the diet of lambs, but there was no response at higher levels (5 and 10 g/kg DM). The addition of choline chloride in RPC at lower dietary concentrations in beef cattle and goats improved feed conversion and ADG (Pinotti et al, 2009;Habeeb et al, 2017). However, when choline was combined with RPC the productive performance was impaired (El-Gendy et al, 2012) or showed no response in daily gain (Rodríguez-Guerrero et al, 2018).…”

“…Ruminally protected choline chloride has been the most frequently evaluated source of choline for small ruminants (Bryant et al, 1999;Godinez-Cruz et al, 2015;Tsiplakou et al, 2016;Habeeb et al, 2017), and doses above 2.5 g/kg DM, equivalent to an intake of over 3 g/d for lambs, showed adverse effects on lamb performance (Li et al, 2015). However, the causes of the impaired performance have not been identified.…”