جستجوی مقالات مرتبط با کلیدواژه « قابلیت هضم » در نشریات گروه « علوم دام »

Phosphorus (P) and calcium (Ca) are macro-minerals for normal growth and development. Phosphorus plays a vital role in muscle function, enzyme activity, lipid metabolism, bone mineralization, maintaining osmotic and acid-base balance, energy metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and protein synthesis. In addition, in layers, P is required to replace tissue metabolites such as nucleotides and phospholipids, maintain skeletal integrity, and produce the egg. Also, Ca is essential for eggshell formation, coagulation, muscle, and nerve function. Bone is a rich source of P and Ca, which can be converted into bone ash (BA) as an organic source to supply P and Ca. Today, BA has been introduced as a suitable alternative for mineral sources of P and Ca in the poultry industry. Barshan et al reported in 2019 that the use of BA compared to dicalcium phosphate caused a significant increase in weight in broilers. The purpose of this study was to use bone ash as a dietary P source and to investigate the P bioavailability in it compared to monocalcium phosphate (MCP) as a standard source. 350 one-day-old broilers were used in a completely randomized design with 7 treatments and 5 repetitions. The dietary treatments were: 1) basic diet containing 0.11% of available P; 2, 4, 3) supplementing the basic diet with 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15% P from MCP source; 5, 6, 7) supplementing the basic diet with 0.05, 0.1, and 0.15% P from BA source. All experimental diets contained 0.78% Ca. At the end of the experiment, the P bioavailability in the BA was obtained based on the P consumed in relation to the daily weight gain and tibia bone ash by the slope-ratio method. Also, the investigated parameters such as digestibility and antibody titer against sheep red blood cells (SRBC) were analyzed in a factorial design. The results showed that based on the weight gain in the grower (10 to 25 days) and finisher (26 to 35 days) periods, the bioavailability of P in BA was 82.37% and 93.24%, respectively. Therefore, it can be concluded that with the increase in the consumption time of BA, its P bioavailability has also increased and it has been able to compensate for the lack of growth well and almost similar to monocalcium phosphate. Also, based on the percentage of ash and P of tibia bone, the P bioavailability was 92.86% and 96.39%, respectively.The factorial analysis of digestibility results also showed that by increasing the level of P in diet and using MCP, the percentage of dry matter digestibility increases significantly (P<0.05). Also, the percentage of P digestibility increased numerically with the increase in diet P and the use of BA. Also, factorial analysis of the data related to the production of antibody titer against sheep red blood cells, we observed that the only significant difference in the main effects was for the total antibody titer and IgG in the secondary response; So that the antibody titer produced in the secondary response was significantly higher in chickens fed with monocalcium phosphate than in chickens fed with bone ash (P<0.05). The results of the bone quality test showed that the shear and tensile stress for the tibia was significantly higher in chickens fed with 0.26% P (P<0.05); but there was no significant difference between chickens fed with MCP and BA. An increase in tensile and shear stress means that more force is required to break these bones, which indicates the greater strength of these bones. Measuring the percentage of ash and phosphorus (P) in tibia bones showed that as the dietary phosphorus level increased, the percentage of ash and phosphorus in the tibia also increased significantly (P<0.05). Additionally, using monocalcium phosphate (MCP) in the diet resulted in a significant increase in tibia phosphorus (P<0.05); however, there was no significant difference in the percentage of tibia bone ash. Given the limited availability and high cost of phosphorus and calcium mineral resources, it is essential to find suitable alternatives. Bone ash (BA) is a rich source of phosphorus and calcium, which can be used as an organic source to supply these minerals in industrial poultry diets. Consistent with our results, Van Haren et al. reported that BA can compensate for growth deficits in broiler chickens, similar to diets supplemented with dicalcium phosphate (DCP) and MCP, compared to diets without a phosphorus source. In general, according to the results, it can be concluded that the bioavailability of P in BA is 92 to 96% compared to MCP. This result shows the good ability of BA to replace mineral sources of P. Also, since the absorbability of MCP is higher than dicalcium phosphate (DCP), it can be concluded that BA can have the same efficiency as DCP and be introduced as a substitute in the poultry industry.

To optimize livestock production and health, sufficient amounts of minerals are necessary in the diet. Zinc (Zn) is a trace element and an essential mineral in animal nutrition, and is found in many enzyme systems. The presence of Zn is necessary to ensure the physiological activities of several hormones. In addition, zinc plays an essential role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, and its deficiency can disrupt several vital cellular reactions. Organic sources of Zn are more biologically active than inorganic sources, and their high accessibility has led to the use of more organic Zn compounds for feeding animals. However, results comparing the bioavailability of organic and inorganic sources of zinc in ruminant nutrition differ. According to the National Research Council (2007), the recommended requirement for Zn in growing lambs is approximately 33 mg Zn/kg DM. The amount of zinc in surface soils of Iran is usually less than 0.8 mg/kg and the plants grown in these soils and used as animal feed are deficient in this element. However, a few studies have been conducted to identify the best source of zinc for growing local lambs; therefore, the present study aimed to compare the effects of supplementing 30 mg Zn/kg DM from common organic sources of zinc (zinc methionine and zinc glycine) with inorganic sources of zinc (zinc sulfate and zinc oxide) on performance, digestibility, blood and rumen parameters in crossbred Zel fattening male lambs.  

This study was conducted at the research station of the Department of Animal Sciences, Sari University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Iran. Twenty-five male lambs aged 3-4 months and with average body weight (25.5 ± 1.4 kg) were assigned to five treatments with five repetitions, as a completely randomized design for 70 days, including 2 weeks of adaptation to basal diet and 8 weeks of data collection. The experimental treatments were as follows: 1) basal diet without zinc supplement (containing 19.39 mg Zn/kg DM) as the control group, 2) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc methionine, 3) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc glycine, 4) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc oxide, and 5) basal diet + 30 mg Zn/kg DM as zinc sulfate. Dry matter intake, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were determined. The acid-insoluble ash (AIA) internal indicator method was used to determine the apparent digestibility of feed nutrients. Blood samples were collected on the 70th day prior to the morning meal. To determine rumen parameters, rumen fluid was collected 3h after morning feed consumption. The chemical compositions of the experimental samples, including (dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ether extract, NDF, and ADF) were measured according to standard methods.

The results showed that total weight gain, daily weight gain, and feed conversion ratio were significantly improved in lambs received organic zinc supplements (zinc methionine and zinc glycine) compared to the control group (P<0.05). The apparent digestibility of organic matter in the diets supplemented with zinc methionine and zinc glycine was significantly higher than that of the other treatments (P<0.05). The digestibility of NDF and ADF in lambs receiving zinc methionine, zinc glycine and zinc oxide was improved compared to the treatment containing zinc sulfate and the control group (P<0.05). Serum glucose and zinc concentrations were significantly higher in all lambs receiving zinc supplements than the control group (P<0.05), but there was no significant difference in serum albumin, cholesterol, urea nitrogen, copper and iron concentrations between experimental treatments. Feeding zinc supplements had no effect on pH, ammonia nitrogen and the concentration of volatile fatty acids in the rumen fluid.

The results of this study show that the addition of 30 mg Zn/kg DM from organic zinc supplements (zinc glycine and zinc methionine) and inorganic zinc supplements (zinc sulfate and zinc oxide) meets the needs of growing lambs fed a basal diet containing 19.39 mg Zn/kg DM. The use of zinc supplements in the diet of fattening lambs improved growth performance, serum zinc and glucose concentrations, and crude fiber digestibility. There were no differences among the treatments supplemented with organic sources of zinc.

With the increase of the population in the last century, the need for protein sources, especially protein with animal origin, has increased. One of the important and inexpensive sources of animal proteins is poultry products. However, many food-borne diseases that are among the most obvious problems related to human health are transmitted to humans through poultry products. Generally, poultry are sensitive to pathogenic bacteria such as Clostridium, Salmonella, and Campylobacter. Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli are the main causes of bacterial enteritis in humans and account for about 90% and less than 10% of deaths in people with campylobacteriosis, respectively. Poultry farmers use antibiotic growth promoters to prevent the colonization of pathogenic bacteria, but their use has been banned in European Union since 2006 due to antibiotic resistance. However, in order to prevent the reduction of growth performance and mortality caused by the colonization of pathogenic bacteria in the gastrointestinal tract, it is necessary to introduce suitable alternatives. The antimicrobial potential of several medicinal plants, some plant-derived bioactive compoundsas well as some organic acids against a suspension of two Campylobacter serotypes (including 8 strains of C. jejuni and 3 strains of C. coli) has been investigated, under in vitro study. It has been revealed that oregano, rosemary, and cinnamon have a higher potential in reducing campylobacter colonization, among other phytobiotic compounds. Considering that under in vivo conditions, no research has been conducted on these medicinal plants with broiler chickens exposed to Campylobacter colonization. Therefore, this research was conducted with the aim of investigating the growth performance, excreta microbiota, intestinal morphology, and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens challenged with C. jejuni and evaluating the potential of oregano, rosemary, and cinnamon in reducing the negative effects of this pathogen.

A total of 192 one-day-old chicks were randomly allocated to 6 dietary treatments in a completely randomized design with 4 replicates of 8 birds. The dietary treatments were as follows: 1-negative control (NC; basal diet without additive and without of C. jejuni); 2-positive control (PC; basal diet without additives but challenged with C. jejuni); 3-basal diet + Erythromycin (55 mg/kg); 4-basal diet + oregano powder (3 g/kg); 5- basal diet + rosemary powder (3 g/kg) and 6-basal diet+cinnamon powder (3 g/kg). All chickens were orally gavaged once a day with a suspension of C. jejuni live culture (2×108 cfu/mL, 1 mL/bird) on days 21 to 25, with the exception of those fed the NC. Throughout the experimental period, the birds were fed ad libitum and had free access to water.

The results showed that the C. jejuni, while weakening performance during the growth period, caused an increase in campylobacter colonization and a decrease in lactobacilli counts of the excreta (P<0.05). The reason for the improvement of the microflora can be due to the presence of antibacterial compounds such as thymol, carvacrol, verbenone, and cinnamaldehyde in the composition of the mentioned medicinal plants. Campylobacter jejuni also decreased the digestibility of organic matter and led to a decrease in villous height, villous height to crypt depth ratio, and villi surface area in the jejunum (P<0.05). The reason for the improvement of the intestinal morphology by herbal additives can be due to the improvement of the microflora of the digestive tract. All the negative effects arising from C. jejuni were alleviated by dietary treatments containing feed additives (P<0.05).

In general, it can be concluded that oregano and rosemary have the potential to reduce the pathogenic effects of Campylobacter jejuni and can be used as suitable alternatives to antibiotics in feeding broilers.

Various methods have been used to evaluate the digestibility coefficients of nutrients. The total fecal collection (TFC) method is a reliable approach for determining the digestibility of rations in live animals. In this method, animal are kept in a metabolic cage in to collect all the feces, making it the most accurate method for measuring feed digestibility. Total fecal collection (TCF) is one of the most accurate direct procedures to determine apparent digestibility. Despite its accuracy, TFC is labor-intensive and time-consuming when evaluating a wide range of feed samples and requiring a large number of animals. Moreover, animals should be confined in stalls, considering that being surrounded will be accepted by camels for a short period and training is necessary for camels fed with ration containing high amounts of energy. Other disadvantage of keeping the animal trapped includes the potential impact on animal metabolism. These problems led to separation from the animal's normal behavior. Accurate measurement of food intake and fecal collection is a tough work. Digestibility coefficients can be measured indirectly by markers. Various indigestible markers include polyethylene Various indigestible markers include polyethylene, chromium oxide (Cr2O3), acid detergent lignin (ADL) and acid-insoluble ash (AIA) have been used to determine the digestibility of nutrients in different parts of gastrointestinal tract. By the end of 19th century, lignin was considered as a potential internal marker for the estimation of digestibility. Because no specific enzymes exist for degradation of lignin in mammals or in anaerobic bacteria, different results have been re-ported by researchers when using ADL for the estimation of digestibility. Digestibility was reported to be underestimated when using AIA as a natural marker. However, it is difficult to apply this method to grazing animals. AIA is one of the most common internal indicators for determining apparent digestion coefficients. One of the advantages AIA compared to other markers is simplicity of analysis and it does not need special equipment. This study aims to evaluate the nutrient apparent digestibility of different diets in camels using AIA, ADL and TFC.

The field phase of the research was conducted at Asrar Sabzevar Agricultural Research Station, and the laboratory phase was conducted at the Animal and Poultry Nutrition Laboratory of Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources. Four male camels (age=1 year, BW= 116.3±9.35 kg) were used in a completely random design to measure the apparent digestibility of nutrients in wheat straw and wheat straw with rice hull using AIA, ADL, and TFC. The experimental period was 42 days (2 periods of 21 days) with 14 days of adaptation to experimental diets and 7 days of data collection. Camels had free access to water, and feeding was done once a day at 8 A.M.

The results showed no significant difference between TFC and AIA for measuring the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude fat, crude protein, neutral detergent insoluble fibers, and acid detergent insoluble fibers in wheat straw and wheat straw with rice hull (P>0.05). However, digestibility was significantly higher in TFC than in ADL (P<0.05).

The recovery percentage of AIA marker was 92.8±92.38 in the diet of 75% wheat straw with 25% rice hull. Based on the study's results, AIA can be used as a suitable internal indicator to measure digestibility in camels if the recovery percentage is more than 90%. The amount of digestibility measured using AIA was close to the amount of digestibility measured using TFC.

In the current study, the effects of quinoa seed treating on chemical compounds and anti-nutritional factors by four treatments:1)raw seeds, 2)seeds of soaken in 40ºCwater by ratio of1:10during 24 hours, 3)seeds of soaken in 1%acetic acid solution by ratio of 1:5during 24hours, 4)seeds of soaken in 1%sodium bicarbonate solution by ratio of 1:10during 24hours, in five replications and diets ileal digestibility in 240laying quails by six treatments: 1)corn-soybean meal without quinoa seeds based diet, 2)diet containing 10%raw quinoa seeds, 3)diet containing 10%quinoa seeds of soaken in 40ºC water, 4) diet containing 10% quinoa seeds of soaken in 1% acetic acid solution, 5) diet containing 10% quinoa seeds soaken in 1% sodium bicarbonate solution 6) diet containing 10% raw quinoa seeds supplemented with 0.05% Rovabio multi-enzyme in five replications, and eight birds per replication by a completely randomized design, were investigated. The soaking in 1% acetic acid solution significantly decreased the crude fiber of quinoa seeds (P<0.05). The soaking in 1% sodium bicarbonate solution significantly increased the crude ash and sodium of quinoa seeds (P<0.05). The lowest tannin and trypsin inhibitors in seeds of soaken in water 40ºC and the lowest saponin and phytic acid were in seeds of soaken in 1%acetic acid solution (P<0.05). Treating and enzyme supplementation, significantly increased the ileal digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, ash, calcium, and phosphorus of the diet (P<0.05). Soaking quinoa seeds in 1% acetic acid solution by ratio of 1:5 during 24 hours was the best treating method.

The management of suckling calves guarantees health and performance in their productive life. The sensitivity and low immune system in newborn calves increase the odds ratio of some disorder incidence and sometimes it is associated with the death. Therefore, the use of antibiotics in suckling calves became popular. Laws prohibiting the use of antibiotics in raising domestic animals led to the use of natural alternatives with similar properties. These compounds cause positive effects on the reduction of intestinal infections, and disorders and increase the absorption of nutrients by creating intestinal microbial balance. Prebiotics have the same feature that changes the microflora population in the digestive system. It has been proven honey has prebiotic characteristics that improve the immune system in mammals. This product and its by-products are used for different goals in human feed. This prevents intestinal infection, modifies intestine microflora population, and improves health situation and lipid metabolism. Honey is a natural product that is thickened from saturated or supersaturated sugar solutions. It usually consists of 17% water, 38% fructose, 31% glucose, 10% other sugars, and a wide range of micronutrients, vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, with a pH below 4. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of milk enrichment with natural honey on the performance, digestibility, blood parameters, and skeletal growth indices of suckling Holstein calves.
Eighteen Holstein suckling male calves with an average weight of 58±4.2 kg were used. Treatments were divided into three groups which contained zero, 2.5, and five g per day of natural honey to the milk consumed. The duration of the experiment was 30 days evaluated in a completely randomized design. Calves were kept in individual pens and fed based on NRC requirements. Starter provided to total mixed ration (TMR) form which is given at 8:00 am and 4:00 pm daily. Calves fed milk based on 10% of body weight in the morning and evening. The amount of milk consumed by calves is measured, and to calculate the milk solids, it is multiplied by a coefficient of 12.5%. Dry matter (DM) digestibility, blood samples, average daily gain, dry matter intake, stool score, and skeleton growth were evaluated during 30 d and compared treatment by the general mixed model in SAS software.
The results of this study showed that adding natural honey to milk significantly improved the feed conversion ratio and increased the final weight, average daily gain, and dry matter digestibility of the calves (P<0.05). The group of calves that consumed five g of natural honey per day had the highest final weight and average daily gain, as well as the lowest feed conversion ratio. However, the milk and starter intakes were not affected by the experimental treatments, and there was no significant difference observed between the control group and the groups that received natural honey (P<0.05). Supplementing milk with honey improved the growth rate and feed conversion ratio of the calves, likely due to the presence of enzymes and other substances in honey that aid in breaking down polysaccharides into usable energy for the animals. Blood glucose concentration decreased in the calves that received natural honey (P<0.05), but the concentrations of cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, and very low-density lipoprotein were not significantly different among the treatments (P>0.05). The reduction in blood glucose can be attributed to the antioxidant compounds present in honey, which can reduce intestinal glucose absorption by inhibiting the digestive enzymes of alpha-amylase or delaying the emptying of stomach contents into the small intestine. The stool consistency score increased with increasing levels of natural honey in the milk, and the group that received five g of natural honey per day had the best stool score, while the control group had the lowest stool consistency score (P<0.05). However, there was no effect of treatment on the number of animals with diarrhea or the number of days involved with diarrhea (P>0.05). Natural honey is rich in antioxidants and has prebiotic properties, which promote the growth of beneficial microorganisms and decrease harmful microflora in the gut. There was no significant difference observed in skeletal growth indices between the different experimental treatments (P>0.05).
The experiment's findings indicated that incorporating natural honey (up to five g/day) into the milk given to Holstein calves can improve their performance and health, making it a recommended practice.

In order to investigate the chemical and nutritional characteristics of pea pod silage (PPS) and its effect on the performance of fattening lambs, 24 Zandi male lambs (initial BW, 33.5 ±1.5 kg) were used in a completely randomized design over 75 days. Experimental treatments were: 1) control; (basal diet) 2- pea pod silage (PPS replaced wheat straw and alfalfa in the basal diet). The amount of dry matter (DM), crude protein, ether extract, ash, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of PPS were determined 20, 11.8, 1.8, 8, 62 and 20.2 percent, respectively, and pH was 6.02. The rumen degradability potential of DM and in vitro gas production potential of PPS after 96 h of incubation were estimated 83 and 58.6 percent, respectively. The use of PPS in fattening lambs rations improved the final body weight and increased the daily weight gain (P<0.05). The amount of DM digestibility was affected by the treatment (P<0.05), but digestibility of other nutrients was not affected by the experimental treatment. Blood parameters (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL) were not affected by the experimental treatments, except for the glucose, which significantly decreased by feeding PPS (P<0.05). The experimental treatments had no significant effect on carcass traits. Based on the results of this study, the use of pea pod silage as a cost-effective alternative forage in replacement with common forages such as wheat straw and alfalfa can improve the performance of fattening lambs.

In order to investigate the effect of feeding milk enriched with garlic powder on performance, digestibility of nutrients, diarrhea status and blood parameters in suckling lambs, twenty-four newborn lambs (birth weight 3.7±0.5) were randomly placed in three treatments and eight replications. The lambs of the control group were fed with milk without garlic powder and the other groups were fed with 1.5 and 3 grams of garlic powder per day, respectively, for 45 days. The results obtained from this research showed that consumption of garlic powder in suckling lambs led to improvement in daily weight gain, final weight and starter feed consumption (P<0.05). Also, treatments caused a significant increase in digestibility of nutrients (P<0.05). The use of garlic powder in experimental lambs improved stool consistency and significantly reduced the number of lambs with diarrhea and the average days of diarrhea (P<0.05). By adding garlic powder, the concentration of glucose and high-density lipoprotein increased (P<0.05). In addition, garlic powder caused a significant decrease in the level of triglyceride, cholesterol and low density lipoprotein in plasma (P<0.05). However, different levels of garlic powder did not make a significant difference on the concentration of urea, albumin, globulin and the ratio of albumin to globulin. According to the present results, it is possible to use garlic powder up to the level of at least 1.5 grams per day as a food additive to improve the performance and health of suckling lambs.

Drought have had adverse effects on the animal husbandry industry and has caused a decrease in livestock population and performance. In this regard, changing the cultivation pattern and replacing water-resistant species can be a suitable solution for this problem. However, due to low protein and dry matter (DM), animals fed exclusively with cactus pear may show weight loss, and digestive disorders such as diarrhea. Combining cactus, which is high in soluble sugars, with high fiber and raw protein ingredients could complement each other's weaknesses and form a balanced diet. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effect of feeding different levels of cactus-alfalfa mixed silage on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, and blood parameters.

The silage was prepared from a homogeneous blender of 66% fresh spineless cactus (Opuntia ficus indica) and 34% alfalfa hay on a w/w basis using 220 L plastic gallons. The chemical composition and quality of the ensiled material were determined. The samples were taken to determine the chemical composition after ensiling on day 45. In this experiment, four Kermani male sheep were used in a change-over design with four periods of 21 days. Experimental treatments were based on increasing levels of cactus-alfalfa mixed silage (0, 10, 20, and 30% DM). During the week of sampling the amount of feed offered and leftovers were collected and weighed daily before the morning feeding to measure daily feed intake (on a DM basis) and digestibility of nutrients. On the last day of each period at 0, 2, 4, 6, and 8 h after morning feeding, rumen fluid was sampled from sheep (by esophagus tube and was filtered through three layers of cheesecloth) to determine pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and volatile fatty acid (VFA). Blood samples were collected on the four days of each period and three h after morning feeding in 10 ml. To determine the amount of allantoin and microbial protein synthesis, the daily urine produced during 24 hours was collected.

The gas production volume (ml) was a significant difference among experimental diets (P<0.05). Fat and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) digestibility increased when animals were fed 30% cactus-alfalfa mixed silage than those fed 10% and 20% cactus-alfalfa mixed silage and control diet (P<0.05). Also, there was a quadratic effect on DM, organic matter (OM), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility by feeding different levels of cactus-alfalfa mixed silage (P<0.05). The highest concentration of ruminal NH3-N was observed by an experimental diet containing 30% cactus-alfalfa mixed silage in all sampling occasions (P<0.05). Feeding of 20% and 30% of cactus-alfalfa mixed silage than after treatments increased linearly ruminal propionic acid molar and decreased linearly acetic acid and acetate/propionate ratio (P<0.05). There was a significant effect on concentrations of triglyceride and urea-nitrogen by adding different levels of cactus-alfalfa mixed silage (P<0.05). Blood Urea nitrogen level in sheep-fed cactus-alfalfa mixed silage was significantly increased linearly (P<0.05).

The results of this study indicated that cactus-alfalfa mixed silage has appropriate nutritional value and its inclusion up to 30% on DM basis in the diets provided favorable conditions for ruminal function and digestibility. Therefore, it is recommended, cactus-alfalfa mixed silage could be included in livestock diet during drought or feedstuff shortage especially in arid and semi-arid regions.

Sunflower is primarily an oil crop but the plant itself and its crop residues are used as animal feed. This study was to investigate the replacing of sunflower head wastes with wheat straw.

This research was conducted in the form of two experiments. In the first experiment, in order to determine the degradability of dry matter and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) of sunflower heads, three rams of Dalagh breed with rumen fistula were used and in the second experiment, 8 male Afshari lambs with an average live weight of 30±4.5 kg were tested in the change-over design with zero, 7, 14 and 21% in the diet. In this research, feed intake, digestibility, blood parameters, and chewing activity were measured.

The results showed that degradation percentage of DM and NDF was 20.41 and 25.59, respectively at time zero, and at 96 hour later it reached to the highest level of degradation equal to 73.47% and 46.40%, respectively. In this study dry matter intake (DM) was influenced by the experimental treatments (P=0.003). Replacing wheat straw with sunflower head improved digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and neutral detergent fiber but not significant. The feed conversion rate was improved with sunflower head treatments but not significant. Lambs that were used sunflower head residues, had more weight gain compared to the control group. None of the treatments containing sunflower head residues had a significant effect on blood parameters. Eating and chewing activity and whole chewing activity were influenced by the experimental treatments (p=0.01). The highest rumination activity per kg neutral detergent fiber, was related to the control treatment.

In general, replacing wheat straw with sunflower head residues up to 21 percent in the diet, can be done successfully. In general, according to daily weight gain, sunflower head residues can be replaced up to 21% levels in the diet by wheat straw.

 Pomegranate has many secondary metabolites such as tannins and phenolic compounds, which have various properties such as antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and immune system stimulating effects. The amount of tannin in pomegranate skin has been reported up to 20.6%. The limiting effects of tannins can be related to reducing the use of nutrients, especially protein, reducing growth and performance, reducing palatability and feed consumption, and reducing the activity of digestive enzymes. In addition to the anti-nutritional effects in high concentration, the positive impact of dense tannins in optimal concentration includes improving live weight gain, preventing flatulence, increasing milk production, reducing intestinal nematodes, and reducing the production of NH3-N and methane in the rumen. Therefore, the present experiment was carried out to improve the nutritional value of pomegranate peel as a tannin-containing edible material by treating it with some tannase-producing bacteria for ruminants.

 Pomegranate peel was treated with tannin-degrading bacteria including Klebsiella pneumoniae and Acinetobacter (isolated from deer rumen), Lactobacillus fermentum (isolated from Najdi goat rumen), and commercial Lactobacillus fermentum, and its nutritional value including chemical composition, digestibility, and fermentation ability alone (first experiment) or as a combination in a standard fattening lamb diet (second experiment), with two-stage digestion method and gas production test were studied. In the first experiment, five experimental treatments included 1- Pomegranate peel without treatment (control treatment), treatment 2 to 5- Pomegranate peel treated with each of the four tannin-degrading bacteria. The five treatments of the second experiment included 1- Diets containing pomegranate peel without treatment (control treatment), 2-5- Diets containing pomegranate peel treated with each of the four tannin-degrading bacteria.

Results and discussion:

 Applying tannin-degrading bacteria reduced the tannin in pomegranate peel (P<0.05), which is caused by the tannin-degrading bacteria. In an experiment of ensiling and adding polyethylene glycol and urea to pistachio hull for tannin removal, total tannin decreased. The concentration of total tannin with the potential and rate of gas production, truly decomposed organic matter, microbial biomass production, and microbial biomass production efficiency improved in pomegranate peel treated with tannin-degrading bacteria compared to the control (P<0.05). Perhaps the reason for the decrease in gas production potential in the control treatments compared to the treatments treated with bacteria is their higher amount of tannins, because tannins and phenolic substances by forming bonds and complexes with nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, reduce the availability of microorganisms. Ruminants to them and as a result reduce their decomposition. Similar to the results of the present experiment, other studies have also shown the positive effect of tannin removal on the improvement of gas production parameters. NH3 concentration and population of protozoa of pomegranate peel treated alone and in the diet increased compared to the control (P<0.05). The reason for the increase in NH3 concentration and protozoa population after degrading the tannins with bacteria can be the presence of tannins and polyphenolic compounds in this edible material. By binding to protein and reducing the rate of protein decomposition, tannins reduce the concentration of NH3, on the other hand, these structures lead to the rupture of the protozoa cell membrane, the inactivation of enzymes, and the reduction of the substrate needed for cell metabolism. The percentage of digestibility of dry matter, NDF, and ADF of pomegranate peel processed alone and in the diet with tannin-degrading bacteria increased compared to the control (P<0.05). Due to the reduction of the tannin level by the isolates, the activity of proteolytic enzymes has probably increased, and releasing nutrients from the binding of tannin, has improved the digestibility of the materials. An increase in cell wall digestibility has been reported as a result of treatment with tannin-degrading bacteria in laboratory conditions. Gas production potential and rate, separation coefficient, microbial viable mass production, and microbial viable mass production efficiency were improved in diets containing processed pomegranate peel compared to the control (P<0.05).

Conclusion:

 The use of tannin-degrading bacteria in the processing of pomegranate peel by reducing the tannins concentration led to an increase in the digestion and fermentation potential of pomegranate peel and diets containing pomegranate peel processed with tannins-degrading bacteria compared to the control. Therefore, considering the positive effects of processing pomegranate peel with tannins-degrading bacteria, it can be said that processing it by reducing tannins is a suitable solution to improve its nutritional value.

The growing trend of production and consumption of goat milk and its products in the modern dairy industry requires improving milk production and composition by nutritional methods. Optimal imbalance of biodegradable and non-biodegradable protein in ruminants can limit microbial protein production, nitrogen utilization efficiency, fiber digestion, and access to optimal amino acid levels in the small intestine. Supplementation of protein sources with low degradability improves nitrogen utilization efficiency and optimal amino acid pattern at the surface of the small intestine. Microbial amino acids meet the animal's need if the animal is in a state of maintenance or minimal growth, while to achieve maximum growth or production the need must be met by non-biodegradable protein in the rumen. Maximum production requires sufficient amounts of essential amino acids, so to support the physiological and production needs of livestock, the use of protected amino acid supplements in the rumen is recommended. Protected amino acids lysine and methionine are more commonly known as milk-limiting amino acids, and methionine also plays a unique role as a starting amino acid in protein synthesis. This study was performed to evaluate the protected methionine and its effects on milk production and composition in Alpine dairy goats.

The experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with at least 15 replications per treatment, so that 45 Alpine lactating goats with 200 lactation days for 4 weeks, randomly were allocated for three experimental diets included: 1- Basal diet plus 2 g of commercially protected methionine 2- Control (basal diet without protected methionine) 3- Basal diet plus 2 g of protected methionine synthesized in vitro.

The results showed that methionine coating significantly reduced the degradability of methionine in the rumen (p <0.001). Also, the effect of experimental treatments on milk production and composition as well as blood parameters such as albumin, cholesterol, total protein, glucose and triglyceride was not significant in lactating goats (p> 0.05).

using protected methionine can significantly reduce the degradability of methionine in the rumen but may has no effect on milk production and composition as well as blood parameters in dairy goats at farm situation, Of course more studies and data are needed.

The aim of this study was to compare different processing methods on chemical composition, ruminal degradability and in vitro digestibility of soybean seed. For this purpose, three ruminally fistulated bulls were used to measure ruminal degradability of crude protein (CP) and dry matter (DM) by nylon bag technique. Treatments were included: control, gamma irradiated soybean seeds in doses of 20 and 40 kGy, electron beam irradiated soybean seeds in doses of 20 and 40 kGy, microwave irradiated soybean seeds in 15 and 30 minutes, heated soybean seeds for 15 and 30 minutes. The results showed that gamma and electron irradiation with doses of 20 and 40 KGy and also heating for 15 and 30 minutes reduced the rapidly degradable fraction (a) of DM and CP and increased slowly degradable fraction (b) of DM and CP (P <0.05). Gamma and electron irradiation at doses of 20 and 40 KGy and heating for 15 minutes significantly reduced the effective rumen degradability of DM at rumen out flow rates of 2, 5 and 8 %/h to unprocessed treatment. (P<0.05). Gamma irradiation at doses of 20 and 40 kGy reduced the effective rumen degradability of CP at rumen outflow rates of 2 %/h compared to the non-irradiated treatment. Therefore, electron irradiation is recommended for improving nutritional value of soybeans for using in ruminant diets

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of bioactive peptides of sesame meal alone or with a mixture of savory essential oil (Satureja khuzestanica) and thyme (Thymus daenensis) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, immune and blood parameters in broiler chickens. A total of 250 male broiler chickens was used in a completely randomized design with 5 treatments and 5 repetitions. The treatments included a control diet and a control diet with 0.5 gr/kg antibiotic, 0.5 gr/kg essential oil, 3 gr/kg sesame bio active peptide and a combination of 3 gr/kg sesame bioactive peptide and 0.5 gr/kg essential oil. The results showed that body weight gain in the treatments containing bioactive peptide mixture of sesame and plant essential oil were better than the control. Bioactive peptides increased crude protein digestibility in broilers. The change of the antibody concentration of viral diseases related to Gumboro disease in 42 days for the experimental treatments was significant compared to the control group (p<0.05). The highest and lowest antibody titers against Gumboro disease were observed in treatment 5 of bioactive peptide mixture of sesame and plant essential oil and treatment 2 containing antibiotics, respectively. In relation to blood cholesterol concentration, the lowest concentration was related to treatment 3 containing plant essential oil and the highest concentration was related to the control. In conclusion, the combination of bioactive peptide of sesame and plant essential oil with a positive effect on nutrient digestibility improves growth performance in broiler chickens.

Crude protein is one of the most expensive components of feed and nutrients needed by animals. One of the ways to optimally use crude protein is to oscillating the level of crude protein in the diet and feeding it intermittently at intervals of one to several days. This study was conducted in order to investigate the effect of oscillating dietary protein concentration on growth performance and some rumen and blood parameters in fattening male lambs.

Three diets were adjusted with crude protein of 12, 14 and 16% and with the same metabolic energy. 36 male lambs with an average weight of 23.94±2.04 kg were used in four treatments in a completely randomized design. The first treatment received a diet with a crude protein level of 14%. The second to fourth treatments received diets with 12 and 16% crude protein at intervals of 24, 48 and 72 hours, respectively. Feed consumption, growth performance, feed conversion ratio, digestibility and some rumen and blood parameters were measured.

No significant difference was observed in terms of feed consumption and growth performance among the treatments, although the feed conversion ratio improved in the treatment with a 48-hour crude protein consumption interval and showed a tendency to be significant compared to the control treatment (p=0.063). The highest digestibility of organic matter was related to the treatment with 48-hour consumption interval, which shows a tendency to be significant compared to other treatments (p=0.091). No significant difference was observed between experimental treatments in terms of digestibility of dry matter, crude protein and neutral detergent fiber. The highest rumen ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen were in the treatment with 48-hour crude protein consumption interval (p<0.05).

The results of this research showed that the feed conversion ratio improves to some extent when using the method of creating oscillations the crude protein level of the ration and its intermittent feeding, but it had no effect on the growth performance of male lambs and feed digestibility, as well as rumen ammonia nitrogen and blood urea nitrogen increased. Therefore, it is recommended to use this strategy in feeding fattening male lambs.

The most important problem of the animal industry is the supply of needed feeds, and identifying the new sources of feeds is of particular importance. This study was conducted to determine chemical composition of whole basil (Ocimum basilicum) forage after seeding and to investigate the effect of different levels of this forage replacing with straw and a part of alfalfa in the diet of fattening lambs on performance, blood parameters and the nutrients digestibility.

18 male Zandi lambs with initial body weight of 28.8±2.03 kg were used in a completely randomized design with 3 treatments and 6 lambs in each group. Experimental treatments were: 1) control (basal diet without whole basil forage) 2) basal diet + 12.5 % basil forage and 3) basal diet + 25 % basil forage. Chemical composition of basil forage was determined. Also, nutrients digestibility of experimental diets, blood parameters and performance of experimental lambs were determined. 

Average amount of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, NDF and ash of basil forage were 92.69±1.2, 6.65±0.06, 1.35±0.01, 54.26±0.33 and 11.09±0.44, respectively. Replacing of basil with wheat straw and alfalfa hay in finishing experimental lambs resulted in improvement in DMI, ADG and FCR (p<0.05). Blood glucose, BUN, cholesterol, triglycerides and hepatic enzymes were not significantly affect by experimental groups. Blood total protein concentration was higher in lambs fed by 25 % basil forage compared to other experimental groups (p<0.05). Feeding whole basil increased digestibility of crude protein, crude fat and NDF (p<0.05), but had no any effect on carcass traits and tail fat weight of experimental lambs.

Results of this study showed that whole basil can be used replacing with wheat straw and alfalfa hay up to 25 % in fattening lambs diet without negative effect on performance and digestibility of diets nutrients.

Studies has been shown that the replacement of % 30 rice straw with alfalfa hay had no adverse effect on lamb grow performance also it had been shown on the goat and cow performance. The use of rice straw decreases the ration prices also it reduces environmental pollution.The goal of this study was to indicate the effect of replacing rice straw with wheat straw on the fattening lamb performance, rumen fermentation, protozoa population and some blood parameters.

In this research, the effect of replacing rice straw with wheat straw on the fattening lamb feeding has been investigated. The 28 male lambs, with an average weight of 30kg, have been divided into four groups of eight animals. The sample lambs in four groups have different accesses to rice straw and wheat straw as follows: the control group has access to 70% concentrate with 30% wheat straw; the second group has access to 70% concentrate with 30% rice straw; the third group has access to 70% concentrate with 30% straw (including 15% rice straw and 15% wheat straw); and the fourth group has access to 70% concentrate and rice straw enriched with urea. The feedstuffs characteristics, weight gain, feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and blood parameters of lambs during the fatting season have been measured.

The results show that replacement of different levels of rice straw has no negative effect on the final weight, daily weight gain, feed conversion coefficient, dry matter intake, and economic coefficient of fattening lambs; Besides, this replacement has led to a significant increase in ruminal gas (digestibility) in squirrel lambs. Dry matter percentage, raw fat, protein, and ration consumed NDF of squirrel lambs did not affect by replacement of different levels of rice straw. However, the addition of 30% of refined straw has led to a considerable reduction in digestibility of the raw protein ration of squirrel lambs. The overall protein of lambs’ blood who received the ration consisted of 30% rice straw, 15% rice straw+15% wheat straw, and 30% wheat straw was enhanced. However, no change was observed in blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol, triglyceride, and glucose blood. The small intestinal histomorphometry parameters were improved by the addition of different levels of rice straw. The lambs receiving ration including 15% rice straw+15% wheat straw and 30% refined wheat straw, have higher Dasytricha, Entodiniinae, Diplodiniinae, and Ophrioscolecinae populations than the lambs receiving the control ration. Also, adding different levels of rice straw to lambs’ ration has led to a significant increase in total rumen Protozoa.

The overall results indicate that the rice straw can be utilized in fattening lambs’ ration without affecting the livestock.

Differences between specific anions and cations have a greater contribution to the physiological performance of animals than their individual effect. The difference between cations and anions in milliequivalents of the diet is referred to as the cation-anion difference or the anion-cation balance (Razzaghi 2009). DCAD manipulation by altering blood buffering capacity, improves milk production in dairy cow (Sanchez 2003). Feeding diets with low DCAD during the Prepartum period is a practical nutritional strategy to increase blood calcium and produce more milk Postpartum. Diets containing low DCAD increased the concentration of hydrogen ions in the blood, resulting in mild acidosis and increased calcium absorption (Moore et al 2000). Decreasing DCAD by feeding anionic salts lowers blood pH and increases the binding of parathyroid hormone to the parathyroid hormone receptor on bone, intestinal, and kidney cells (Goff 2004). However, feeding anionic salts reduces prenatal feed intake due to its bitterness; but it improves postpartum calcium metabolism (Golfert et al 2010). One way to activate postpartum calcium homeostasis is to use DCAD-negative diets in the Prepartum period. Nutrition High-anion diets, commonly known as "anion-salt diets," have been used to prevent milk fever for the past 40 years. One possible reason is that dietary metabolic acidosis increases the tissue response to parathyroid hormone. Therefore, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of anion source type and anion and cation balance on rumen fermentation parameters in dry cows invitro.

This study was done at the Research Farm and laboratories of the Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, in University of Birjand, using the ruminal fluid of two dry Holstein cows with ruminal fistula. In order to investigate the effect of source and dietary anion-cation difference (DCAD) of dry cow's diet on gas production parameters, ammonia nitrogen concentration(N-NH3), rumen pH and dry matter digestibility in in vitro condition. Basal diet was prepared based on the requirements of dry cows. In the next step, concentrations of calcium, sodium, potassium, magnesium, chlorine, phosphorus and sulfur in the basal diet were determined by atomic absorption spectroscopy and the DCAD of the basal diet was calculated. After this, the anionic salts of calcium sulfate hemihydrates, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid and monobasic ammonium phosphate were added as a percentage of the diet in solution form to the base diet with a sampler to reach the desired anion-cation balance. The factorial experiment conducted in a completely randomized design with 12 treatments and 15 replications. Anionic salts of calcium sulfate hemihydrates, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, ammonium phosphate monobasic and different DCAD levels (-56.6, -11.33 and -17.0 meq/100gDM) were used. Each treatment was including a DCAD level and a sulfur and phosphorus source that balanced according to each element ratio in table of requirements. In the next step, the gas from fermentation was measured based on the modified method of Bloomel et al. (1997). The produced gas pressure was recorded at times of 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 24, 36, 48, 72, 96 and 120 hours from the beginning of incubation. The data were plotted against time and analyzed using the exponential Schofield model (P = v (1-exp (-k (t)))) in the NLIN procedure of SAS software. At times of 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours after incubation, three vials of each replicate were removed from incubator and after recording gas production, immediately after opening the cap, the pH of each vial was measured Using a digital pH meter (Metrohm 727 pH lab). In order to determine the concentration of ammonia nitrogen after centrifugation of the contents of each vial, 5 ml of clear supernatant was removed from it and combined with 333 μl of 3 N hydrochloric acid and then stored at -20 ° C. Phenol and hypochlorite reagents were used to measure ammonia nitrogen and the adsorption was read by ELISA at 650 nm (Bradrick and Kang, 1980). In order to determine the rumen digestibility of the dry matter, the residues obtained from each vial were oven dried in 60 ° C for 48 hours.

The results showed that the effects of experimental treatments on gas production parameters, rumen pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration were significantly different at different incubation times (p <0.05). The highest gas production potential per fermentable substrate is related to Treatment containing DCAD level of -5.66, which is supplied from two sources of phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid. As expected, the total gas production at 120 hours of incubation and also gas production at t0.5 is related to this treatment. The fermentation rate and time to reach half of the gas production potential in this treatment is average. Therefore, it can be concluded that this treatment has been able to provide suitable ruminal buffering conditions for microorganisms due to good results in DM digestibility too. The highest area below the pH curve of ruminal fluid was related to treatment with DCAD of -5.66, which was obtained from ammonium phosphate and sulfuric acid sources. The lowest level below the pH curve of ruminal fluid is related to the treatment containing DCAD -11.33, which is provided from sources of phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid. The highest ammonia nitrogen production is related to the treatment containing the anion-cation balance of 170 with two sources of sulfuric acid and phosphoric acid. Ammonia nitrogen is strongly influenced by the breakdown of crude dietary protein by microorganisms and the breakdown of the microbial population due to nitrogen recycling under adverse conditions. On the other hand, because the dry matter digestibility has increased at this time and in this treatment, this increase is probably related to the breakdown of feed crude protein due to improved fermentation conditions. In general, the use of phosphoric acid and sulfuric acid sources with the anion-cation balance of -5.66 meq/100gDM improved the gas production parameters, the rumen pH curve under area, and the ammonia nitrogen concentration.

The present study was conducted in order to determine yield and the nutritive value of Napier grass at different growth stages as a new forage source in Iran. For this purpose, Napier grass was harvested at three stages of vegetative growth (65, 85 and 115 days after planting, respectively). Chemical composition, rumen fermentation parameters, yield and some morphological traits were investigated. At the final growth stage, dry matter (DM) yield and height of Napier grass was 26.8 tons per hectare and 257 cm, respectively. With increasing age of the plant, a decrease in crude protein and an increase in lignin of cell wall was observed (P < 0.05). Crude protein and neutral detergent fiber content of the grass at this stage were 88 and 63 g/kg DM, respectively. Changes in chemical compositions during growth stages were more pronounced in the stem than in the leaf. During the growth period, the decrease in digestibility of leave and stem led to a decrease in dry matter and organic matter digestibility of Napier grass from 782 to 649 and from 814 to 747 g/kg DM, respectively (P < 0.05). The amount of gas production potential decreased with increasing plant age (P < 0.05). Fermentation rate and lag time were similar in plant harvested at the three stages of growth. The results of the present study showed that Napier grass with high yield of digestible organic matter and high nutritive value can be considered as a valuable source of forage in the country.

The effect of different levels of Oji plant powder on performance, nutrient digestibility, rumination behavior, blood and rumen parameters of Dalagh ewes, using 18 ewes with an average weight of 38±3.5 kg in a completely randomized design with three treatments and six Repetition was investigated. The treatments included 1- control (without Oji powder), 2- 25 gr of Oji powder per day and 3- 50 gr of Oji powder per day. Different levels of Oji powder in ewes had no effect on the weight at the end of the period, daily weight gain, cholesterol, glucose, total protein, albumin, globulin and blood albumin/globulin ratio. Feeding ewes with different levels of Oji powder decreased the apparent digestibility of dry matter, increased nutritional consumption behavior and rumination activity, and increased blood urea and triglyceride levels(P<0.05). Feeding ewes with different levels of Oji powder caused a significant decrease in protozoan population three hours after feeding and an increase in rumen pH three hours after morning feeding(P<0.05). Ruminal ammonia concentration in ewes that received 50 gr of Oji powder per day was higher than other treatments(P<0.05). According to the results of this research, adding the powder of Oji plant up to the level of 50 gr per day to the ration of Dalagh ewes does not have a significant effect on the functional traits of the animal, and it also shows a positive effect on the protozoan population and rumen pH.