his study was designed to investigate the effect of garlic powder (GAP) or cumin powder (CUP) supplementation in growing lambs ration on nutrients digestibility, rumen liquor parameters, blood constituents and growth performance,. Eighteen of growing Barki lambs (averaged 5-6 months of age and weighted 27.5 ± 0.90 kg) were divided into three equal groups (6 animals each) in a feeding trial lasted 100 days. Animals were fed on basal diet (control) or supplemented with 2% GAP (T1) or CUP (T2) of the concentrate feed mixture. The results showed that apparent digestibility of all nutrients and nutritive values as total digestible nutrients (TDN) and digestible crude protein (DCP) were significantly (P<0.05) higher for lambs fed rations of GAP or CUP compared with those fed the control ration. Ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) was increased (P<0.05) for lambs fed rations GAP or CUP compared with those fed the control, however ruminal pH and TVFA"s were comparable among the experimental treatments. The values of N balances and dietary N utilization were increased (P<0.05) for lambs fed GAP supplemented ration compared with those fed control or CUP-supplemented diet. Meanwhile Average daily gain and feed conversion were higher (P<0.05) for lambs fed GAP or CUP than those fed control ration. Dry matter intake was comparable among the experimental treatments. There were no significant differences in plasma albumin and cholesterol concentrations among treatments, while plasma concentrations of total protein, globulin and total antioxidant capacity were higher (P<0.05) for lambs fed GAP or CUP than those fed control ration. Plasma triglycerides concentrations was higher (P<0.05) for lambs fed CUP than those fed GAP or control. Plasma malonaldhyed (MDA) was decreased (P<0.05) for lambs fed rations of GAP or CUP than those fed control ration. There was a decrease (P<0.05) in plasma concentrations of HDL with feeding CUP ration and levels of LDL with feeding GAP compared to feeding the control ration. This study showed that dietary supplementation of either garlic or cumin powder at 2 % significantly improved nutrients digestibility and growth performance in growing lambs, without any adverse effect on rumen fermentation.

Due to the scarcity of concentrate and green fodder and its high prices in animal feeding, the quest for readily available and inexpensive alternative sources has become critical for breeders seeking to minimize the cost of animal production. Azolla is an invasive plant that grows faster in freshwater lakes, rivers, wetlands, and ditches in both temperate and tropical countries by a few precautionary steps with low production costs. It can modify biodiversity and aquatic ecosystems substantially. Azolla has a symbiotic relationship with the nitrogen-fixing blue-green alga Anabaena azollae, which increases the protein content of Azolla, making it one of the greatest alternative feed ingredients as a source of protein, with 25–30% protein, 7–10% amino acids, vitamins (Beta Carotene, vitamin A, vitamin B12), minerals (calcium, potassium, phosphorus, ferrous, magnesium, copper, etc.), and antioxidants. Several studies showed that Azolla can be fed to animals like cow, buffalo, sheep, goat and rabbit because it is easily digestible (because to its high protein and low lignin content), increases feed efficiency, average daily gain of animals, and milk production by 15–20%. Therefore, the present review was aimed to show the possibility of using Azolla as a source of alternative low-cost protein and its impact on animal efficiency.

Background Probiotics are direct-fed microbial feed supplements which can modulate the gut microflora by competing intestinal pathogens through a competitive process. The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of feeding Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Bacillus subtilis or their mixture on blood biochemical constituents, intestinal pathogenic load and intestinal histological changes of growing New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits. Results Serum total protein, albumin, and globulin were (P ≤ 0.05) increased for rabbits fed supplemented diets. Microbial pathogenic load of small intestinal and caecal contents (E. coli and C. perfringens) showed reduction (P ≤ 0.05) for rabbits fed supplemented diets, while, lactobacillus spp. recorded higher counts (P ≤ 0.05) in intestinal and caecal contents of rabbits fed probiotics supplemented diets than control group. Small intestine length, villus height and crypt depth were higher (P ≤ 0.05) with probiotic diets than control. Musculosa depth was depressed (P ≤ 0.05) with probiotic diets. Conclusions It could be concluded that the addition of Bacillus subtilis or Saccharomyces cerevisiae to diets of growing NZW rabbits by 0.1% is recommended to minimize the pathogenic intestinal load and increasing of beneficial lactobacillus strains as well as improving the intestinal barriers integrity.

ighteen growing Ossimi lambs (28.92 kg average live body weight and 6-7 months old) were used to evaluate incorporating thyme essential oil (TEO) in ration on nutrients digestibility and growth performance. In growth trial lasted 90 days followed by digestibility trial for 14 days, the lambs were randomly divided according to their live body weight into three feeding groups (6 each).Total mixed ration consisted of 60% concentrate: 40% roughage was offered to lambs in all groups to cover its total requirements. Whereas, there was no TEO in the control feeding group, R1, while R2 and R3 were supplemented with 0.1 and 0.2% TEO from DM intake, respectively. Data of nutrients digestibility indicated that incorporating TEO in both of R2 and R3 significantly (P<0.05) increased digestibility of DM, OM, CP, EE and NFE. While, EE digestibility was only significantly (P<0.05) increased in R3 compared with R1. The same trend was observed for nutritive value either as TDN or DCP, whereas it was significantly (P<0.05) improved with R2 and R3 compared with R1.There were no adverse effects for thyme oil supplementation on rumen pH, but significant (P<0.05) decreased rumen ammonia concentration and increased the rumen volatile fatty acids compared with control group. As a result of this improvement in nutritive value, the highest significant (P<0.05) body weight gains were recorded with R3 (200 g/h/d) followed by R2 (187 g/h/d) compared to 160 g/h/d for R1. So, it can be concluded that incorporating thyme essential oil in growing lambs ration by either 0.1 or 0.2% from DM intake improved both of nutrients digestibility and growth performance.

Background Egyptian water buffalo as a dairy animal is adapted to the environmental conditions in Egypt and most of it is with small farmers, therefore, it was necessary to pay attention to improve its nutrition, increase its milk production, and improve its components by adding some feedstuffs of high nutritional value as Moringa oleifera which is a rapidly growing plant that is planted in tropical and subtropical area, in addition its leaves have high nutritive value, and it contains anti-oxidative and bioactive compounds, low anti-nutrient content and high amount of magnesium, which has positive effects on milk yield. Results The results revealed that, daily milk or 4% FCM yields was significantly (P < 0.05) highest for diet supplemented by 50 g Moringa olifera leaves powder (MOLP, R2) compared with the other groups. By increasing MOLP supplementation level there was a significant (P < 0.05) decrease in daily milk yield than control. Milk contents of protein, fat and total solids were significantly (P < 0.05) increased, but lactose or solid not fat contents were significantly (P < 0.05) decreased than control with increasing MOLP level. The highest values of dietary nutrients digestibility and nutritive values (TDN and DCP%) were recorded with R2 and the lowest were recorded for R4. Blood serum total protein, albumin and globulin contents were significantly (P < 0.05) higher with feeding MOLP supplemented diets than control particularly for R2 and R3. While, there were significant (P < 0.05) decrease in urea, glucose and cholesterol but creatinine, AST and ALT were gradually increased with increasing MOLP level. Rations supplemented with MOLP was associated with obvious increase (P < 0.05) of antioxidant enzymes (GR, GPx, Cat and SOD) and decrease free radicals and the effect was more pronounced with increasing the supplementation level. Conclusions These results indicated that 50 g Moringa olifera leaves powder supplementation to the diets of milking buffaloes improved milk yield, milk composition, nutrients digestibility, nutritive value and total antioxidant capacity.