Thirty-six male growing Rahmani lambs aged 6 months with an average weight 19.07 ± 0.21 kg were used to determine the effects of inclusion biologically treated corn stalks (BTCS) treated with Trichoderma ressi (T. ressi) on growth performance. Animals were divided into four equal groups and assigned for control ration contained 30% clover hay (CH) and another three experimental rations replaced CH in control ration (TMR 1 ) with BTCT at 33%, 66% and complete replacement 100% of CH for (TMR 2 , TMR 3 and TMR 4 ), respectively. The results showed that treatment of BTCS decreased DM, OM, CF, EE contents, while CP and ash contents were increased in comparison with untreated corn stalks (UTCS). Also, it reduced all cell wall constituents (NDF, ADF, ADL, cellulose and hemicelluloses) compared to UTCS. biologically treated corn stalks containing diets significantly improved (P<0.05) all nutrient digestibility coefficients and cell wall constituent digestibilities compared to the control diet. Total digestible nutrient (TDN) was significantly improvement (P<0.05), while digestible crude protein (DCP) insignificantly (P>0.05) improved. Ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH 3 -N) and total volatile fatty acids (TVFA's) concentrations were increased. Sampling time had no significant effect on ruminal pH while, it significantly (P<0.05) increased NH 3 -N and TVFA's concentrations at 3 hours post feeding compared to before feeding. There were significant (P<0.05) interaction between dietary treatments and sampling time (TxS) on ruminal pH, NH 3 -N and TVFA's concentrations. All blood plasma parameters were within the normal range. Blood plasma hemoglobin, glucose, total protein, albumin and albumin: globulin ratio were significantly increased (P<0.05). However, blood plasma urea, creatinine, triglycerides and cholesterol were significantly (P<0.05) decreased. Blood plasma GOT and GPT were insignificant (P>0.05) decreased. Final weight, total body weight gain, average daily gain (ADG) and relative gain were significantly (P<0.05) improved. ADG was improved by 10.53%, 18.42%, 27.89% for TMR 2 , TMR 3 and TMR 4 , respectively compared to the control ration (TMR 1 ). Daily feed intakes of DM, TDN, CP and DCP (g/h/day) were increased. Feed conversion (kg intake /kg gain) of DM, TDN, CP and DCP were significantly (P<0.05) improved. Feed cost (LE per kilogram gain) was improved by 9.59%, 14.82% and 22.46% for TMR 2 , TMR 3 and TMR 4 , respectively compared to the control diet TMR 1 .It could be concluded that biologically treated corn stalks can be successfully fed to lambs without any adverse effect on digestibility coefficients, ruminal fermentation, blood plasma constituents and performance. Also, BTCS can be used economically in formulation of sheep rations as a good alternative source of clover hay.

No abstract

Background: The present work aimed to investigate the impact of partial replacement yellow corn by mango seed kernels (MSK) at different levels of (0, 25, and 50%) on feed and water consumption, water metabolism, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, and rumen fluid parameters. Methods: Twelve mature male Rahmani sheep of about 58.39 ± 1.22 kg live body weight on average were used to investigate the influence of replacing yellow corn contents (45% in the control ration) by mango seed kernels (MSK) at different levels (0, 25, and 50%) that equal (0, 11.25, and 22.5% of total ration contents) on feed and water intakes, water metabolism, nutrient digestibility coefficients, nitrogen utilization, and some rumen fluid parameters. The animals were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (four animals in each treatment). Sheep fed rations are composed of 50% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) and 50% peanut vein hay (PVH) at portion 3% dry matter (DM) of live body weight (LBW). Results: The results showed that values of crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) of MSK and yellow corn were similar. Meanwhile, MSK has superior ether extract content compared to yellow corn; meanwhile, ash content of yellow corn was lower than ash content of MSK. All tested CFM were isonitrogenous (16.17% CP), but it differs in their contents of gross and digestible energy. On the other hand, all experimental total mixed rations (TMR) were isonitrogenous (14.52% CP) and isocaloric (4177 kcal/kg DM in average). Dietary treatments significantly (P < 0.05) decreased total dry matter intake (DMI) and crude protein intake (CPI) that expressed as (g/h/day, g/kgW 0.75 , and kg/100 kg LBW) or gross energy intake (GEI) and digestible energy intake (DEI) that expressed as (Mcal/h/day, kcal/kgW 0.75 , and Mcal/100 kg LBW). Inclusion MSK in sheep ration insignificantly (P > 0.05) increased drinking water by 20% and 6.89% for experimental groups fed TMR 2 and TMR 3 , respectively, compared to the control one (TMR 1). Incorporation MSK in the rations significantly (P < 0.05) increased insensible losses of water. Dietary treatments significantly (P < 0.05) increased nutrient digestibility coefficients of DM, organic matter (OM), CP, CF, and NFE. Meanwhile, it significantly (P < 0.05) decreased EE digestibility. On the other hand, both values of total digestible nutrient (TDN) and digestible crude protein (DCP) were significantly (P < 0.005) improved. Nitrogen retention (NR) (NR % of nitrogen intake (NI) and NR % of digested nitrogen (DN)) values were significantly (P < 0.05) increased with increasing level of MSK in the sheep ration. Inclusion MSK significantly (P < 0.05) increased ruminal pH; however, it had no significant (P > 0.05) on both ammonia nitrogen (NH 3-N) and total volatile fatty acid (TFVA) concentrations. Sampling time at 3 h post feeding significantly (P < 0.05) decreased ruminal pH in comparison with before and 6 h post feeding; meanwhile, sampling time had no significant effect (P > 0.05) on NH 3-N conc...

No abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the importance of direct and maternal effects on the body measurements and live weight of Barki lambs. Data of 214 lambs progenies from 36 sires and 98 dams recorded of Barki of Sheep flock in Maryout Research Station at Desert Research Center was used to estimate the genetic parameters of body measurements and yearling live weight in Barki lambs. The used traits in present study were: body length (BL), height at withers (HW), heart girth (HG) and yearling weight (YW). The estimations were done by using DFREML software. Direct heritability by single trait analysis was estimated 0.10, for BL, 0.18, for HW, 0.10, for HG, and 0.10, for YW. The effect of permanent environmental due to dam was estimated 0.05, 0.02, 0.06 and 0.04 for BL, HW, HG and YW, respectively. Using bivariate analysis, additive genetic correlations were estimated 0.75, 0.76 and 0.93 between YW and each of BL, HW and HG, respectively. High and positive genetic and phenotypic correlations indicate that an improvement in body measurements both at the genetic and phenotypic level is expected through selection on body weight and vice versa. keywords: Barki lambs,direct heritability, permanent environmental and genetic correlation.