Some Minerals Profile in Blood and Milk of Barki Ewes Fed Salt Tolerant Plants in Egyptian North Western Coast

EL-Gohary, E.; El-Rayes, M.; Abd El-Mawla, Lamiaa; Abou-Aiana, R.; EL-Saadany, S.; Eissa, M.

doi:10.21608/jappmu.2018.38901

Some Minerals Profile in Blood and Milk of Barki Ewes Fed Salt Tolerant Plants in Egyptian North Western Coast

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Animal Production Res. Institute, Agri. Res. Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Doki, Giza, Egypt.

² Animal and Poultry Physiology Dep., Desert Res. Center, Matareya, Cairo, Egypt

³ Animal Production Res. Institute, Agri. Res. Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Doki, Giza, Egypt

10.21608/jappmu.2018.38901

Abstract

This study aimed at exploring the effect of complete replacement of berseem hay (control) in the diet by leaves and stems of salt tolerant plants (Acacia nilotica, Atriplex nummularia and Cassava manihot esculenta) on some minerals profile in blood and milk of Barki ewes under the conditions of Egyptian north western coast. Forty mature healthy Barki ewes at late pregnancy, 3-4 years old with an average live body weight 51.5 ± 0.46 kg were randomly divided into 4 similar groups (10 ewes each). The first group was fed the control diet which consisted of 40% concentrate feed mixture plus 60% berseem hay (BH), while in the 2^nd, 3^rd and 4^th groups, BH as percentage was replaced by Acacia, Atriplex and Cassava respectively. All animals were kept under the same managerial conditions. The experiment was lasted 4 weeks befor parturition and along the lactation period for nearly two months. From each group, 5 ewes were chosen randomly every week to obtain milk samples. The same procedure was carried out but biweekly for blood sampling. Chemical analysis was performed for estimating some macro and micro-mineral concentrations in blood and milk.Feeding salt tolerant plants resulted in increasing the blood concentrations of Ca, P, Fe and Mn. However, the level of blood Cu decreased by feeding these plants. Feeding Acacia resulted in the highest level of Zn. Each of Ca/P ratio and blood levels of Na, K and Mg were not affected. The highest overall means for the macro-elements were found in milk of ewes fed Atriplex. In addition, those ewes showed the highest level of Mg in their milk. Feeding Acacia resulted in the highest level of Cu, while nourishing Cassava developed the highest level of Zn. Nevertheless, no serious changes were found in concentration of macro and micro-elements either in blood or milk of ewes fed these slat tolerant plants. Accordingly, it can be concluded that it safe to replace hay with one of these plants in feeding lactating Barki ewes.

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