Impact of Partial Replacement of Cottonseed Meal by Nigella Sativa Meal on Nutrients Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, Blood Parameters, Growth Performance of Growing Lambs

Abstract

his study was conducted to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of cotton seed meal in concentrate mixture by Nigella sativa (N. sativa) meal on nutrients digestibility, rumen fermentation, blood metabolites and performance of lambs. Eighteen of healthy Farafra male lambs aged between 5 and 6 months old and had average of 27.2 ± 1.3 kg body weights. The lambs were randomly assigned into three groups, 6 animals each lasted for 90 days. The experimental groups were a control group (CON) fed basal diet containing concentrate mixture plus wheat straw and treated groups were fed basal diet plus 33.3% (T1) and 66.7% (T2 ) as a substitution of cottonseed meal by N. sativa in concentrate mixture. The lambs were fed 65% of their requirements as a concentrate mixture based on NRC guidelines and the rest were covered from wheat straw which given as roughages ad libitum. Three digestible trials were conducted with twelve mature local rams, distributed into three group and using three experimental diets, CON, T1 andT2. In growth trail body weight were recorded and daily gain were calculated. Plasma metabolites, ALT, AST enzymes, thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were determined in blood samples. In digested trail rumen liquor samples were collected to measure the protozoal count, pH, ammonia N and total VFAs concentrations. Feed and fecal samples were analyzed using AOAC (2012). The results were statistically analyzed using of SPSS statistical package. The results refer to the body weight and daily gain in T2 group was increased as compared with T1 and CON groups. The total DM and CP intake were higher (P<0.05) in T2 group as compared with CON group. The partially substitution of cotton seed meal by N. sativa meal increased (P<0.05) the concentrations of NH3-N and total VFAs, while the total protozoal count in rumen fluids was decreased (P < 0.05) as compared with CON group. Also, the plasma cholesterol and ALT enzyme was decreased (P< 0.05) in N. sativa meal groups compared to control group. However, T3 hormone and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were higher (P<0.05) in N. sativa groups than control group. The nutrient digestibility was increased (P < 0.05) with increasing substitution rate from 33.3 to 66.7% of cotton seed meal by N. sativa meal. It can be concluded that the partial replacement of cottonseed meal in concentrate mixture by N. sativa can be used as an unconventional protein source in lambs' rations with no any harmful effect on performance of growing lambs..

Effect of clay minerals supplementation on nutrient digestibility, blood parameters, and performance of buffalo calves

“…Significant improvement in nutritive values as DCP was associated with increasing the digestibility coefficients of CP. Similar trends were obtained by the investigation of (Salem et al, 2001). Also, Yahia et al (2018) showed that the improvement in nutritional values as seen in TDN and DCP reflects the positive effect of dietary supplementation with 200 g tafla/h/d on the digestibility coefficients of most nutrients when compared with the control diet.…”

“…One of the more popular feed additives used by commercial dairies in ruminant diets is clay minerals. This additive decreases the passage rate of the digesta through the digestive tracts, enhancing digestion efficiency and, as a result, increasing feed utilization (Salem et al, 2001). Clay minerals mainly hydrate include aluminum silicate (brucite), kaolinite, montmorillonite, illite, chlorite, sepiolite, bentonite, zeolite, and hydrated sodium calcium aluminosilicate (Eng et al, 2003).…”

“…Bentonite mostly consists of silicon dioxide (SiO2), magnesium oxide (MgO), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and sodium oxide (Na2O) (European food safety authority (EFSA, 2013)) and it is a proven safe feed additive for animals (EFSA, 2016), where the safe level for all animal species was 20 mg/kg of complete feed (EFSA, 2013). Bentonite is one of the frequent natural clays in Egypt used in animal diets to increase feed intake, nutrient digestibility, and growth rate (Saleh et al, 1999;Salem et al, 2001), with no changes to mineral metabolism, bentonites minimized the harmful effects of aflatoxins on efficiency and liver function (Marroquin-Cardona et al, 2009). In nature, choline is found in large quantities as free choline, acetylcholine, more complex phospholipids, and their metabolic intermediates.…”

https://www.anbarjvs.edu.iq/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/1.pdf

“…Several research shown that supplementation of (1.0) to (1.3) g DM of Planatago lanceolata L. (plantain) and Allium sativum (garlic leaf) per kg of live body weight of lambs fed with pellets (total mixed ration TMR) or (mixed hay) led to improve lambs production (43,46). Moreover, addition of N. sativa meal until rate 66.7% as alternative source for cotton seed meal in diets of sheep may recommend improving feed utilization and growth performance of growing Farafra sheep (47).…”

“…All antioxidants in spices and herbs are very effective because they possess excellent antioxidant activity (21). Another study found that adding 4g Roselle /kg DM and/or 4g Lemongrass/ kg DM were significantly increased total antioxidant capacity in treated ewes compared to untreated ewes (47). Adding supplement of turmeric, vitamin and Andrographis paniculata to the diets, it was discovered that meat from supplemented goats had greater antioxidant activities and sensory quality has been improved when they compare antioxidant contents in meat (52).…”