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The effects of exogenous lysozyme supplementation (LYZ) on growth performance, caecal fermentation and microbiota, and blood characteristics were investigated in growing rabbits. A total of 420 growing male V-Line rabbits (30 d old; weighing 528 ± 16 g) were randomly divided into four groups of 105 rabbits each, and monitored for 42 days. Experimental groups included a control group (LYZ0) fed a basal diet without LYZ supplementation, and three treated groups fed the same basal diet supplemented with LYZ at 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg diet, respectively. The results showed a quadratic improvement in the final body weight, daily growth rate, FCR, and digestibility of DM, while the digestibility of OM, CP, EE, NDF, and ADF improved linearly when LYZ supplementation was increased. The dressing percentage increased quadratically when LYZ levels were increased in the rabbit diets. In rabbits fed LYZ diets, L. acidophilus counts increased linearly (p < 0.05) and L. cellobiosus, and Enterococcus sp. counts increased quadratically, whereas E. coli counts decreased. In the LYZ-supplemented groups, the caecal pH value and NH3-N concentration declined quadratically, whereas total VFA, acetic, and butyric acids increased. Total lipids decreased linearly, whilst triglycerides and cholesterol decreased quadratically with LYZ supplementation. Total antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase, glutathione S-transferase, and catalase increased quadratically, while malondialdehyde decreased linearly in the LYZ-supplemented groups. In conclusion, exogenous lysozyme administration improved rabbit growth performance and antioxidant status while lowering the blood lipid profile, altering the bacterial population, and regulating caecal fermentation. Therefore, LYZ up to 150 mg/kg can be used as a potential supplement in rabbit feed.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of partial substitution of corn grain by discarded dates on silage quality and their effect on digestibility, milk production and composition. Sixteen crossbreed lactating Friesian cows were assigned to four balanced groups and fed individually for 90 days on experimental rations whereas: all the groups were received a basal diet with one of four kinds of silages as follows: 100 % crushed corn grain (T1), 75 % crushed corn grain + 25% discarded dates (T2), 50 % crushed corn grain + 50 % discarded dates (T3) and 25 % crushed corn grain + 75 % discarded dates (T4) on gross energy based, respectively. Results found that there was slight tendency to increase silage DM content with increasing the entry level of discarded dates. Silages containing discarded dates displayed OM and ash contents nearly identical to those of the control diet. The pH values of the tested silage samples ranged from 3.89 in S1 to 3.72 in S4. The ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration in silage was decreased with increasing proportion of discarded dates in the silage. The digestibility coefficient of DM and OM were significantly (P<0.05) higher in the diets containing discarded dates than in the control diet. However, there was insignificant (P>0.05) increases in the digestibility of CP, CF, NDF and ADF for dietary treatment T2, T3 and T4 compared to the control (T1). Also, no significantly (P>0.05) different of dry matter intake was observed among dietary treatments. The highest actual milk and 4% fat corrected milk yield were recorded with T4 (10.87 and 10.24, respectively), while the lowest values for these items were corresponding to T1 (10.06 and 8.56, respectively) but the differences were not significant. Regarding of milk pH value, milk protein and ash contents have the same trend among groups with nonsignificant different among groups. However, there were significant differences in the milk percentages of fat, solid not fat (SNF), lactose and total solids between T1 (the lowest one) and each of T2, T3 and T4. Results of this study indicated that partial replacement of yellow corn grains by discarded dates up to 75% as a source of energy in silage did not show any negative effect on digestibility, feed efficiency, milk yield and composition in crossing Friesian cows.

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of using biological treatment by (Trichoderma reesei), to reduce the content of antinutritional factors in watermelon vines and improvement their nutritive value and the possibility of using it in animal nutrition and its effect on productive performance of growing lambs. Fifty male Barki lambs at 6 to 8 months of age with an average live body weight 24.49 ±0.2 Kg were divided into five similar groups according to their live body weight (10 lambs for each). They were randomly assigned to receive the five experimental rations where control group was fed 50% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) plus 50% berseem hay (BH ) on dry DM basis (R1) and the other four groups R2, R3, R4 and R5 were fed rations containing 25 or 50 % untreated watermelon vines hay (WMVH) and treated with Trichoderma reesei fungi (WMVF), respectively. Animals were fed the five respective rations in groups. The growth experiment lasted for sex months. Results showed that degradation of antinutritional factors was more efficient when WMV hay biologically treated with fungi (Trichoderma reesei). The values of antinutritional factors of the watermelon vines reduced as follows: total phénols by 53.43%, total tannins 71.38%, saponins 63.67%, alkaloids 44.02% and flavonoids 16.98%, compared with untreated vines. Control ration (R1) and the tested ration (R4) had higher DM intake than the other tested ones (R2, R3 and R5), being ration R3 had the lowest value. Animal fed R4 showed more soluble, degradable, less undegradable fractions and more effective degradability. The values of final body weight, total body weight gain and daily gain were significant lower for tested rations R2, R3 and R5 than those of control one (R1), while the tested ration R4 was similar in these values with those of control one, being the highest values among all tested rations. The feed conversion as (g DMI/g gain) was worse with all tested rations related to that of control one, whereas R4 had the best feed conversion value among all tested ones. The values of feed conversion recorded 6.93 and 7.05 for R1 & R4 and 8.22 & 8.73 for R2 and R5, respectively, while the worst value was recorded with R3 (8.96). The feed cost was decreased by 11.98 and 25.62 for R2 & R3 (rations which contained 25 or 50% untreated watermelon vines) and 11.78 & 24.59 for R4 and R5 (rations which contained 25 or 50% watermelon vines treated with fungi) respectively, compared with the figure of control one (R1). The economic efficiency improved by 23.64% for R4 compared with control group (R1) and the other tested rations (R2, R3 and R5). The results could be indicated the possibility of introducing biologically treated watermelon vines with fungi in growing lambs rations up to 25% (i.e. 50% in replacing of berseem hay) to reduce the feed costs without harmful effects on their performance and health.