he present study was conducted during the period from (September 2012 to April 2013) at the experimental farm station, belongs to Anim. Prod. Dept., Fac. of Agric., Al-Azhar Univ. Thirty pregnant Rahmani ewes with an avg. 33.7 kg LBW and 3 years old age were used to investigate the effect of vitamin E daily supplementation to pregnant ewes at late gestation and early lactation on the productive performance of treated ewes and their offsprings. Experimental animals were randomly assigned (28 days prepartum) to three nutritional groups; the 1 st one served as a control (nil vitamin E supplement). The 2nd and 3rd groups were daily and individually administrated 400 IU of α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), 28 days prepartum (T1) and for 28 days pre and 28 days postpartum (T2). Experimental animals were offered their daily requirements during pregnancy and early lactation according to NRC recommendations (1985). Results obtained showed that; supplementing pregnant ewes with vitamin E didn't lead to any positive influences on improving their daily milk yield or milk chemical composition, although there were significant differences among different experimental groups in daily milk yield. Ewes of T2 recorded higher (p<0.05) daily milk yield (417 g /h/d) in compare with (348 g /h/d) for the control ewes group and (292 g /h/d) for T1 ewes, respectively. Vitamin E supplementation to pregnant and lactating ewes didn't lead to significant differences in most of daily milk yield and chemical composition traits. Although, there were significant differences among different ewes groups in fat and SNF percentages in favor of the two supplemented ewes groups. Vitamin E supplementation to pregnant and lactating ewes didn't improve productive performance of both the two supplemented ewes groups and their progenies. Ewes of T1 group weaned more (p<0.05) kg of lambs, but without significant difference with those of the control group. Ewes of T2 weaned lower (p<0.05) kg lambs. Ewes of T2 and the control group one indicated more efficient feed utilization in compare with T1 group. Vitamin E supplementation didn't improve (p<0.05) lambs productive performance. Although, there were significant differences among different lambs groups in lambs avg. weaning weight, daily gain and lambs feed conversion ratio. Lambs born to T2 ewes consumed (p<0.05) higher milk intake (417 g/h/d), but lower feed conversion ratio (3.06 kg MI/kg gain), while lambs born to T1 ewes consumed lower milk (292 g/h/d), but with an improved FC ratio (1.75 kg MI /kg gain). Lambs born to the control ewes group consumed (348 g/h/d), but with more efficient FC ratio (2.20 kg milk intake / kg gain) in comparison with the corresponding lambs born to T2 ewes groups. Lambs born to T1 supplemented ewes recorded higher (p<0.05) avg. weaning weight (13.73 kg/h) and faster daily weight gain (179 g/h/d), without significant difference with lambs born to the control ewes group (165 g/h/d), while lambs born to T2 supplemented ewes indicated lower weaning weight (11.40 kg /h) and slower...

Twenty Finn-Ossimi crossbred male lambs with an average live body weight (14.50 Kg) were randomly assigned into five nutritional groups (each of 4 animals) to receive one of five complete mixed rations containing different percentages of dried bakery by-products (DBP) instead of ground yellow corn as unconventional energetic source. Experimental animals were allotted to one of the following rations in a fattening trial for 124 days; R1 : yellow corn 50% and 0 % bakery by-products (control ration), R2 : yellow corn 37.5 % and 12.5% DBP, R3 : yellow corn 25% and 25% DBP, R4 : yellow corn 12.5% and 37.5% DBP and R5 : yellow corn 0% and 50% DBP. A digestibility and nitrogen balance trial were conducted to evaluate the nutritive values of the experimental rations. The effects of these rations on males fattening performance, rumen fluid parameters and economic efficiency were also investigated. Results obtained showed that: 1-Unconventional energetic sources showed higher (P<0.05) effect on most of digestibilities coefficients of nutrients. 2-No significant differences in dry matter intake were observed, however, R3 recorded the higher intake value (1250 g/h/d) followed by R2 (1190 g/h/d), respectively. 3-R5 (100 % DBP substitute) showed higher (P<0.05) TDN % and DCP % values followed by R3 and R4, respectively. 4-Dried bakery by-products indicated similar positive effects on improving live body weight gain of the experimental animals, and without significant differences among them. 5-Ruminal pH, NH3-N and TVFA's concentration had in general the normal distribution curve, since they increased at 3 hrs after feeding then decreased at 6 hrs later. 6-Dried bakery by products showed (P<0.05) effects on pH, NH3-N and TVFA᾿s concentrations in ruminal fluid. However, the control ration in general showed lower NH3-N and TVFA᾿s concentrations in comparison with the other experimental rations. On the contrary, the control ration recorded relatively higher pH value in compare with the other tested rations. 7-R4, (37.5 % DBP) was the most efficient feed utilization group among the different DBP groups, while R5, (50 % DBP) was the most economic one. 8-On the contrary, the control group was the most efficient feed utilization group in different feed terms.

wenty four male Baladi kids were used in a fattening trial to investigate the effect of age at weaning and fenugreek seeds supplements to fattening ration on kids performance, carcass characteristics and meat chemical composition. Newborn male Baladi kids were randomly assigned after birth to two equal groups (each of 12 kids). Both the two groups were randomly subdivided into two sub-weaning groups to be either weaned early (8 wks old age or later weaned to 16 wks old). Two sub-weaning groups (8 and 16 wks) were supplemented in their creep feeding ration (13.0 % DCP and 78.0 % TDN) with 2 % fenugreek seeds (FS) and served as a treated group, while the others (8 & 16 wks) served as a control (nil fenugreek seeds). Male kids were offered the creep feeding ration at 3 wks old age and up to the respective weaning age, besides suckling their dams. At 16 wks old age, kids were offered a fattening ration (12.62 % CP and 58 % TDN) until 20 kg live body market weight, while treated groups still supplemented in their ration with 2 % fenugreek seeds (FS). Male kids performance, ration digestibility, rumen liquor measurements and kids carcass characteristics and chemical composition were determined. Results obtained indicated that, supplementing fattening rations of male kids with fenugreek seeds led to increase insignificantly ration palatability and intake and improved (p<0.05) ration nutrients digestibility and nutritive values. Adding fenugreek seeds to fattening rations of male kids, showed positive influences in increasing NH3-N release and TVFA`s production in rumen liquor, while time of measuring indicated significant differences in pH, NH3-N and TVFA`s production at different times. Supplementing fattening rations with fenugreek seeds led to improve (p<0.05) treated male kids feed conversion ratio and accelerated (p<0.05) kids daily gain and to more heavier market weight i.e.: 79.95 and 82.10g/h/day for G3 and G4 (the two supplemented rations) in compare with 67.10 and 73.03g/h/day for G1 and G2; (non-supplemented rations), respectively, and 23.72 and 22.12 kg vs. 19.83 and 21.02 kg/h final body market weight for both the two supplemented and non-supplemented rations, respectively. Fattening ration supplements and early weaning practice didn't have any significant effects on warm carcass weight in kg or slaughter kids dressing percentages. However both the two early fattening groups showed insignificantly heavier warm carcass weight and dressing percentages in compare with the two later weaned ones. Neither fenugreek seeds supplements nor age of kids at weaning had any significant effects on kids eye muscle chemical composition.

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Thirty six pregnant Rahmani ewes with an avg. 33.7 kg LBW and 3 years old age were used to investigate the effect of vitamin E daily supplementation to pregnant ewes at late gestation and early lactation on the productive performance and some biochemical blood constituents of treated ewes and their offspring's. Experimental animals were randomly assigned (28 days prepartum) to three nutritional groups; the 1st one served as a control (nil vitamin E supplement). The 2nd and 3rd groups were daily and individually administrated 400 IU of α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E), 28 days prepartum (T1) and for 28 days pre and 28 days postpartum (T2). Experimental animals were offered their daily requirements during pregnancy and early lactation according to (NRC recommendations, 1985). Blood samples were routinely withdrawn from ewes and their offspring's to assess some blood measurements i.e. (GSH-Px), LDH, ALT, AST, Total protein and globulin fractions. Results obtained indicated that, Vitamin E supplementation to pregnant ewes during late gestation led to affect significantly (p<0.05) ewes and lambs (GSH-Px) enzyme activity, increase (p<0.05) serum total protein and globulin concentration value in favor of the two supplemented ewes groups and the corresponding offspring's. However, non-significant differences (p<0.05) in LDH enzyme concentration was detected. Liver enzyme activity i.e. ALT and AST indicated significant differences (p<0.05), indicating higher (p<0.05) values for both the two supplemented groups in comparison with the control ewes group and their lambs.