The Effect of Whole Basil Forage on Nutrients Digestibility, Blood Parameters And Performance in Fattening Zandi 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.