The objective of this assay was to investigate the effect of adding sunflower oil, Nannochloropsis oculata microalgae and their mixture at 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% to three total mixed rations (TMRs) with different concentrate:forage ratios (40C:60F, 50C:50F, and 60C:40F) on in vitro gas production (GP), methane (CH) production, and nutrient degradability. Asymptotic GP, GP rate, CH concentration/g acid detergent fiber (ADF), dry matter (DM) degradability (DMD), short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), and ruminal bacteria population increased, but neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradability (NDFD), ADF degradability (ADFD), and protozoa count decreased with increasing concentrate level in the TMR. Methane production/g DM and NDF was higher for 50C:50F TMR. Sunflower oil reduced asymptotic GP, lag time, CH production/g ADF, ammonia-N (NH-N), and SCFA. Compared to the control treatments, additives decreased GP rate, while sunflower oil/N. oculata mixture increased DMD and NDFD. All additives at 5% increased GP rate and lag time and decreased CH production/g DM, ADF, and NDF, ruminal NH-N, and protozoa count. All additives at 2% increased DMD, NDFD and ADFD, SCFA, and bacteria population. Supplementation of TMR, containing different concentrate:forage ratios, with sunflower oil, N. oculata, and sunflower oil/N. oculata mixture at different doses modified in vitro GP, CH production, and nutrient degradability.

No abstract

wenty Damascus lactating goats weighting 29.2 ± 1.96 Kg LBW (2.5-3 years old) were used in this experiment which randomly divided into five groups. Control group (G1) was fed basal diet, G2 was fed the basal diet mixed with 4g/h/d Echinacea purpurea, G3 was fed basal diet mixed with 8g/kg Echinacea purpurea, G4 was fed 7.5 g/h/d Nigella sativa and G5 was fed 10 g/h/d Cichorium intybus for 98 days. The results showed that rumen parameters (pH-TVFA's and ammonia) tend to increase significantly (P ≤ 0.05) in basal diet mixed with 4g/h/d Echinacea purpurea (G2). Nutrient digestibilities (DM, OM, EE, CP and CF) tend to increase in treated groups when compared with the control group. Using medicinal plants lead to improve milk production in treated groups than control group, where the milk production values were 1345.4, 1718.4, 1516.8, 1363.3 and 1380.0 g/h/d for G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5, respectively. Regarding to milk composition, milk fat % in the treated groups was slightly higher than the control group, but total protein % in milk was lower in G3, G5 and G4 compared with G2 and G1.The values of total protein percent were 2.89, 2.93, 2.77, 2.52 and 2.57 %, respectively for G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5. Using Echinacea purpurea effectively decreased somatic cells count (SCC) in G2 and G3, also adding Nigella sativa and Cichorium intybus to the lactating goats' diets tend to decrease SCC. The obtained values of SCC were 608.1, 64.3, 96.7, 179.0, and 105.2*103 CFU for G1, G2, G3, G4 and G5, respectively. Total microbial count was affected by adding Echinacea purpurea and Nigella sativa, where G2 recorded the lowest count followed by G3 then G4 (5.17, 5.18 and 5.38, respectively). Also, G2 and G3 recorded the lowest count of Staphylococci count and St. auraus count than G5, G4 and G1. The results indicated that using Echinacea purpurea, Nigella sativa and Cichorium intybus as additives in the dairy goats' diets tend to improve nutrient digestion coefficient also increase milk quantity and quality.

No abstract