Determination of ruminal degradability of whole cottonseed and comparing the effect of its different levels in the diet of Dalagh fattening lambs on performance, digestibility and blood parameters

In this first experiment, in order to determine the process of ruminal degradability of dry matter and crude protein of cottonseed using the nylon bag method, four splenic fistulated sheep were used.16 male lambs with an average weight of 27.57±1.3 kg and an age of 120±10 days were used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 4 replications for 84 days. The experimental diets included: zero (control), seven, 14 and 21% of whole cotton seeds. The results of the present study showed that the potential degradability of dry matter and crude protein of cottonseed in this study was 61.26 and 87.39%, respectively, which indicates the high degradability of dry matter and crude protein of cottonseed in the rumen. in terms of average final weight, lambs receiving levels of 14% and 21% had the highest (46.47) and lowest (43.69) final weight respectively (P<0.05), The increase of cottonseed caused a significant decrease in the digestibility of dry matter, also the lambs receiving 21% of cottonseed had the highest digestibility of the ether extract. Also, the blood glucose levels were also higher in the lambs of the control group. And the recipient of seven percent cottonseed was more than the other two treatments, while the concentration of blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels of the lambs receiving the levels were 14 and 21% higher than the other two treatments (P<0.05). In general, according to the present results show that cottonseed can be used up to 14% in the diet of fattening lambs.