Effects of unprotected and calcium salts of palm and linseed oils on feed intake, total tract digestibility, ruminal degradation and fermentation in lambs

The objective of present study was to assess the effects of unprotected and calcium salts of oils on total tract digestibility, ruminal degradation and fermentation in lambs. Four lambs fitted with ruminal fistula were used in a change-over design using 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Levels of first factor (oils) were palm oil and linseed oil and levels of second factor were protected oil (calcium salts) and unprotected oil. Feeding of palm oil resulted in higher ruminal effective degradability of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) than linseed oil, and lambs fed protected oil had higher ruminal effective degradability of NDF than unprotected oil (P<0.05). Lambs fed palm oil had higher dry matter intake (DMI) and total tract digestibility of nutrients compared to those fed linseed oil. Acetate concentration in lambs fed palm oil was higher compared to linseed oil. Feeding of protected oil resulted in higher acetate concentration than unprotected oil (P<0.05). The lowest acetate concentration was found in lambs fed unprotected linseed oil (ULO) and the highest acetate concentration was observed in lambs fed unprotected and protected palm oil (UPO and PPO, respectively). Lambs fed palm oil had the highest gas and methane production compared to linseed oil. Protected oil resulted in higher gas and methane production than unprotected oil (P<0.05).  Lambs fed PPO had the highest, and those fed ULO had the lowest methane production (P<0.05). Based on the results, protection of linseed oil is necessary to enhance ruminal degradation and fermentation, but this process is not necessary for palm oil.