No abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of supplementing a traditional diet with rumenprotected (RP) either methionine (MET) or lysine (LYS) or their combination, on some physiological responses of ewes. Twenty-four adult Barki ewes were used were divided into four groups (6 ewes for each). The first group (Control) was fed only the control diet. The second group (LYS) fed the control diet and rumen-protected LYS (6g Lysi pearl /kg concentrate i.e. 3g /animal/day). The third group (MET) was fed the control diet and rumen-protected MET (14g Smartamin/kg concentrate i.e. 7g /animal/day). The fourth group (MIX) was fed the control diet and mixture of 3g LYS and 7g MET/animal/day. The experiment lasted for six months. Blood total proteins, urea, creatinine, total cholesterol, glucose, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase and lactate dehydrogenase were detected. Total lipids (TL), high-density lipoproteins (HDL), low-density lipoproteins (LDL), and some plasma essential and non-essential amino acids were also analyzed.

This study aimed to inspect the effects of consuming two different doses of the brown seaweeds "Sargassum latifolium" by heat stressed growing Barki ram lambs for 60 days on their growth performance, physiological and behavioral responses. Twenty Barki ram lambs 6-8 months old with average of 29.26 ± 2.09 kg live body weight were divided into four equal experimental groups. Lambs in the first group were kept in comfortable environmental conditions and were not offered seaweed and assigned as control (C). Animals in the second group were exposed to heat stress and were offered the diet without seaweed (T0). Animals in the third (T1) and fourth (T2) groups were exposed to heat stress and were supplemented with 2 and 4% (from CFM) brown seaweeds, respectively. Feed intake and body weight were recorded daily. Complete blood count and plasma biochemical parameters were assessed biweekly while behavioral responses were measured in the last week of the experiment. Animal had brown seaweeds in T1 and T2 groups increased (P<0.01) average daily gain and total body weight gain as compared to their counterparts exposed to heat stress (T0). Moreover, lambs of T2 achieved the best feed conversion ratio (8.37). Seaweed supplementations increased (P<0.05) leukocyte, hematocrit and hemoglobin concentration. Feeding lambs with a diet containing 4% brown seaweeds increased (P<0.01) serum total protein, albumin, potassium level, but decreased (P<0.01) serum total lipids, triglycerides, total cholesterol as compared with control ones. Supplementation with brown seaweeds affected significantly daily water intake and some behavioral parameters. It can be concluded that supplementation with brown seaweed (2% and 4% from CFM) to heat stressed Barki ram lamb in summer improved productive performance through improving growth rate, blood constituents, beside ingestive, standing and lying behavior.

Objective: To recognize the expression patterns of HSP 70 and HSP 90 genes of two local sheep breeds. Design: Descriptive study Animals: Fifty ewes (25 Barki and 25 Abu Dlik). Procedures: This investigation was carried out on fifty sheep at the northwest coast and southeast of triangle Halayeb and Shalateen during the months of March and May 2018 and 2019 (average day time temperatures: 25–35 ◦C; relative humidity: 55–65%). Total RNA was extracted using easy-RED™ Total RNA Extraction Kit. The primers for qPCR were designed on the basis of prior sequence information available at National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) for with the target HSP70 and 90 genes. The Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH)) gene, housekeeping gene, was used for normalization qPCR data. The desired genes were amplified for relative expression measurements. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), Interleukin-1β (IL-1 β, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12) were assayed. Results: The expression levels of the HSP70 and HSP90 genes and the genes in Abu Dlik sheep were observed to relatively up-regulated than those in Barki sheep. Abu Dlik breed exhibited an up-regulate mRNA level of Hsp70 and Hsp90 genes (1.70440938 vs 1.362954) while the Barki breed showed a down-regulated pattern (0.8550442 vs 0.4289764). In Abu Dlik ewes HSP70 gene exhibited a higher mRNA level than HSP90 mRNA. Conclusion and clinical relevance: Gene expression patterns of HSP 70 and HSP 90, as well as cytokines modulations, can be used as a biological marker and a reference point in animals to identify, manipulate and cross-breed for improving the genetic potential and adaptability in sheep which tolerates the harsh environmental conditions, especially the heat stress., and it is necessary to manage stress at a cellular level.

The present study used the experimental work of technical cooperation project entitled "salt-tolerant forage production systems to salt-affected lands in Sinai Peninsula in Egypt" which supported by ICBA (International Center for Biosaline Agriculture). The aim of the present study was effect of feeding on salt tolerant plants ((Kochia indica and Pennisetum americanum) on physical and chemical properties of coat fibers in sheep. Twenty four male growing Barki lambs Twenty-four male growing (averaged six months of age and 18.8±0.89 Kg of body weight) were divided randomly into three groups given CFM (concentrate feed mixture) to cover 100% of maintenance requirement. Berseem hay (Trifolium alexandrinum) fed to the first group (G1) as a control diet. The total amount of (Kochia indica) and (Pennisetum americanum) grass mixture was divided into two equal parts: the first part was kept as hay to be fed for the second group (G2) while the other part was mixed with 5% molasses to make haylage for the third group (G3). Wool samples were taken to estimate fiber length (FL), fiber cross sectional area (FCSA), crimp frequency (CF), cotting score (CS), also amino acids; Threonine (Thr), Valine (Val), Methionine (Met), Isoleucine (Iso), Leucine (Leu), Phenylalanine (Phe), Histidine (His), Lysine (Lys), Aspartic acid (Asp), Serine (Ser), Glutamic acid (Glu), Proline (Pro), Glycine (Gly), Alanine (Ala), Cystine (Cys), Tyrosine (Tyr) and Arginine (Arg) were analyzed. Results showed a slight increase in all fiber amino acids contents for both G2 and G3 as compared with control. Results recorded marked differences in Cys, Ala, Asp, Arg, Thr and Met between all groups. Amino acids; Cys, Ala, Glu, Pro and Met showed a significant increase in G3 whereas only Met achieved a marked increase in the two treatment groups than control. Amino acid Met significantly increased in coarse and fine fibers of both G2 and G3, while Ala tended to be higher in only fine fibers of G3 as compared with control. There was no significant effect of treatment on the studied wool characteristics, except CS which significantly increased in G2 and G3. Within groups, FL slightly increased in coarse and fine fibers in both G2 and G3. The increase in FL of coarse fibers was significantly higher than fine fibers in G2 and G3. The same trend was observed in CS. The FCSA decreased in both coarse and fine fibers of G2 and G3 than control, this decline was higher in G3 than G2. Feeding on haylage might cause an increase in fiber length and fiber fineness through decreasing FCSA, and an increase of CF in fine fibers of G3 than G2 and a partially decline in CS. It could concluded that feeding on salt tolerant plants (Kochia indica and Pennisetum americanum) mixed with molasses may cause an increase in fiber amino acids contents which in turn make changes in physical characteristics of wool fibers viz.; an increase in fiber length and cotting score, and a decrease in fiber cross sectional area and crimp frequency of Barki lambs.