This experiment was conducted to study the effect of chemical and biological treatments of pruning peach trees by-products (PTBP) on chemical composition, degradability, cell wall constituents, digestibility and nutritive value and its feeding effect on productive performance of growing sheep. Thirty Ossimi lambs with average body weight 18.00±0.20 kg and 4 months old were used in this study for 120 days. Lambs were distributed into five similar groups (6 lambs each) and randomly assigned to five experimental rations. The five respective rations composed of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + roughage (PTBP), the control ration (R1) contained untreated PTBP; (R2) treated PTBP withTrichoderma reesei; (R3) treated PTBP with Trichoderma viride;(R4) treated PTBP with Trichoderma reesei + Trichoderma viride and (R5) 3% urea treated PTBP. The DM, OM and CP disappearance and effective degradability (ED) va lues were in situ determined. The digestibility and nutritive values of experimental rations were determined using fifteen adult Ossimi rams. Rumen liquor and blood samples were collected at the end of collection period. The results showed that fractions of DM (a&b) and (ED) were significantly (P<0.05) increased with treated PTBP either with urea or fungi compared to control (untreated PTBP). The highest degradable values of DM, OM and CP were observed with R4. Nutrient digestibility and feeding values (TDN and DCP) were higher (P<0.05) for rations containing treated PTBP than control. The highest values of TDN and DCP were observed for R4. Digestibility of cell wall constituents (NDF, ADF, cellulose and hemicellulose) were improved by treatments. Concentrations of rumen parameters (NH3-N and TVFA's) were significantly increased by treatments. However, no significant differences were found in blood constituents (total protein, albumin, globulin, GOT, GPT and urea) among the different experimental groups. Blood constituents were generally normal in all experimental groups. Growth performance with respect to total body weight gain and average daily gain (ADG) were improved by biological treatments. The same trend was observed for feed conversion and economic efficiency and the best values were recoded with R4. It was concluded that inclusion of treated PTBP to rations of growing Ossimi lambs could improve their performance especially treatment of PTBP with fungi.

A total of hundred and four New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits were chosen after weaned at 6 weeks of age and randomly divided into 8 equal groups (13 rabbits/ group) according to their initial live body weight (804.31±20g), to evaluate the utilization of dried taro waste (TW) without or with dried yeast (DY) in feeding growing rabbits and their response on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, carcass traits, some blood parameters, cecum activity as well as economic efficiency. Rabbits were fed ad-libitum on diets containing 0.0, 7.5, 15, 22.5% TW without supplement for groups G1, G3, G5 and G7, respectively and the other groups (G2, G4, G6 and G8) were fed the same levels of TW, with 0.5% DY. At the end of the experimental period (14 weeks of age), digestibility trials were carried out to determine the digestibility of feed nutrients and the feeding values of the experimental diets. In addition, four rabbits were slaughtered from each group to test the carcass traits, some blood parameters and cecum activity. The experimental diets were fed to growing rabbits for 8 weeks post-weaning period. Results revealed that the TW contained 2479 Kcal digestible energy/Kg, 16.41% crude protein, 14.30% crude fiber, 7.42% ether extract, 16.92% ash, 1.22% calcium 0.27% phosphorus on DM basis, and some antinutritional factor such as calcium oxalate (0.56%). Formulation of rabbit diets with different levels of TW (0.0, 7.5, 15 and 22.5%) without or with 0.5% DY showed no significant differences (P>0.05) among the dietary treatments in respect of live body weight and total weight gain at different ages (6-14 weeks). It was also clear that the insignificant highest weight gain was associated with rabbits fed diets containing DY (G2, G4 and G6) during 6-14 weeks of age than those fed the un-supplemented diets. Total feed intake of TWdiets was slightly decreased during the whole experimental period with G3 and G5, but significant decreased with G7 compared to that of control diet (G1). Supplemented DY with rabbit diets tended to improve total feed intake at 6-10 and 6-14 weeks of age comparing with the non-supplemented ones. Feed conversion and performance index didn't affected significantly by dietary treatments. In comparison with control diet, most nutrient digestibilities of most tested diets did not affected significantly. Almostly carcass traits (empty carcass, edible giblets, non-edible parts and dressing percentage) did not affected significantly by most tested treatments compared with control diet. TW or DY had slightly changes on blood constituents of experimental rabbits. Insignificantly higher concentrations of TVFA´s and ammonia-N were observed in the cecum contents of rabbits fed on the different levels of TW without or with DY compared with the control group. Similarly each of cecum weight and pH of cecum content were not significant changed by all tested rations based on control one. Profitability and economic efficiency were markedly improved with TW-diets without or with DY compared with control diet.In conclu...

he objective of the present investigation was to study the effect of two supplemented algae on nutritive value of lactating Damascus goats rations and its effect on performance of kids, milk production, milk composition, digestion coefficients, feed intake and feed conversion. Twenty seven Damascus lactating goats of 2-4 years old and average live body weight of 48.5±1.4kg were chosen divided and into three similar groups (9 animals each) R1 (control), R2 and R3. The groups were assigned at random to receive one of the three experimental rations. Animals of group R1 were fed 50% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + 30% berseem hay + 20% wheat straw (control), R2 were fed 50% CFM + 30% berseem hay + 20% wheat straw with supplemented algae (Spirulina) and R3 were fed 50% CFM + 30%berseem hay + 20% wheat straw with supplemented algae (Ulva rigida) 0.2% of feed intake. At the end of the trial, three digestibility trials were conducted to determine digestibility coefficients and nutritive value of experimental rations. In addition, rumen liquor and blood samples were taken to determine some parameters. All supplemented in the present study decreased (P<0.05) CF, ash, ADL and hemicelluloses, but CP content had increased. The results revealed that the algae supplementation recorded highest digestibility coefficients (P<0.05) for all nutrients fiber fractions and nutritive value of R2 (P<0.05) compared with control. Nutrients digestibility coefficients, concentrations of ruminal ammonia nitrogen and total volatile were significantly (P<0.05) higher, which ruminal pH values were significantly (P<0.05) lower for rams fed algae supplemented diets than control at the sampling times 4 hrs. The highest body weight was recorded with R2. The algae supplemented recorded better feed conversion (DMI/daily milk yield) for R2 and R3, respectively compared with the control (R1). It could be concluded that supplemented goats ration with algae tended to increase digestibility coefficients and nutritive values, increased milk yield and improved feed conversion as kg DM intake per kg milk yield.

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of inclusion dried taro waste (DTW) without or with dried yeast (DY) in sheep rations on digestibility, rumen fermentation activity, blood parameters and growth performance of Ossimi lambs. Comparative feeding trial was applied with twenty four growing male lambs, averaging 21.5±2 kg of body weight where they were randomly divided into four similar groups (6 each) for feeding period of 150 days. The experimental rations were formulated as followed: 65% CFM+17.5% rice straw (RS) +17.5% DTW (R1); 65% CFM+17.5% RS+17.5% DTW with dried yeast (R2); 65% CFM+35% DTW (R3) and 65% CFM+35% DTW with dried yeast (R4). Dried yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) was added at the rate of 5g/h/d. Digestibility trials were conducted with Ossimi rams to evaluate the digestibility and feeding values of the experimental rations. Results indicated that most nutrient digestibilities were markedly improved with the higher level of DTW in rations, where R3 and R4 had the highest (P<0.05) digestibility values for most nutrients versus those of the lower DTW ration, without or with DY (R1& R1). Feeding values expressed as TDN did not significantly differ among the experimental rations, while DCP values were significantly improved with increasing the level of DTW, without or with DY. Addition of DY to R2 and R4 rations had no significant effect on feeding values expressed as TDN and DCP. Results of rumen liquor pH values were almost insignificant increased with increasing the proportion of DTW in rations without or with DY. Also, there were no significant differences in NH 3-N and TVFA´s concentrations among the experimental groups, with the best values being occurred with the low level of DTW-ration with DY additive (R2). No significant differences were observed among experimental groups concerning the all blood parameters except for albumin that was significant higher for animals fed ration contained only DTW with yeast (R4), while the differences respecting this item did not significant among the other treatments. Average daily gain was significantly higher with tested ration R2 than that of R3 or R4, but insignificant higher than that of R1ration. Daily DM intake was nearly comparable among groups. The best values of feed conversion and economic efficiency were observed with lambs fed ration that contained DTW + RS + DY (R2) while; these items did not improve with increasing DTW level. It could be concluded that DTW is a nutritious fodder ingredient for ration formulation for small ruminant. Therefore the low level of DTW (17.5%) especially with yeast is highly recommended in practical feeding of growing lambs.