INFLUENCE OF SOME MEDICINAL PLANTS AS FEED ADDITIVES ON DIGESTIBILITY, NUTRITIVE VALUE, FERMENTATION IN THE RUMEN AND REPRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE OF MALE LAMBS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Animal Production Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Egypt.

Abstract

Forty crossbred (1/2 Finnish Landrace x 1/2 Rahmani) lambs aging 3-4
months with average body weight of 17 30 kg were divided into five similar groups to
invesligate the effect of some medicinal plants (MP) supplementation on daily gain.
feed efficiency and reprductive performance. Lambs were fed randomly on one of the
experimental diets. The first group received the basal diet, which was free from feed
supplementation (FS) and composed of concentrate feed mixture ( CFM) and berseem
hay (SH) as control group 01. The tested groups were fed on control diet and with one
of the (ollowing FS, Majorme nortens MH (150 mg Ikg live body weight LBW), Nige/fa
sativa seeds NS (100 mg/kg L8W), Rosmarinas officina/Is RO (150 mg/kg lBW) or
with supplemented medicinal plants mixtures MPM contained third dose of each of the
tested MP. for 02.03,04 and 05. respectively. Five digestjon trials were carried out,
to evaluate the experimental diets and their effect on digestion coefficients, nutritive
values and some rumen parameters.
The results showed thai feeding medicinel plants had effect on digestibility
coefficients of ruments and nutritive values, goups 04 recorded the highest value in
thus respect. Total weight and average daily gain were higher of lambs fed NS or RO
with basal diet. The different supplementations did not affect on the rumen pH values.
Meanwhile, ammonia N. concentration was Significantly (P<O.05) decreased with (03
and D4 groups) than the control group. The 04 group showed the highest proportion 01
propionic and the lowest of acetic and butyric in comparison with other groups. Lambs
in group 4 expressed first ejaculation (puberty) younger by 80,14.5.55.5 and 8.5 days
than those in groups 1, 2. 3 and 5. respectively. No significant differences in
testosterone concentration (Te) in serum of lambs and scrotal Circumferences in the
five groups at all stages of sexual development.

Keywords