Influence of Nigella sativa seeds, Rosmarinus officinalis leaves and their combination on growth performance, immune response and rumen metabolism in Dorper lambs

Abstract

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of dietary supplementation of Nigella sativa L. seeds, Rosmarinus officinalis L. leaves and their combination on rumen metabolism, nutrient intake and digestibility, growth performance, immune response and blood metabolites in Dorper lambs. Twenty-four entire male Dorper lambs (18.68 ± 0.6 kg, 4-5 months old) were randomly assigned to a concentrate mixture containing on a dry matter basis either, no supplement (control, T1), 1% R. officinalis leaves (T2), 1% N. sativa seeds (T3) or 1% R. officinalis leaves +1% N. sativa seeds (T4). The lambs had ad libitum access to urea-treated rice straw (UTRS) and were raised for 90 days. Supplemented lambs had greater (P < 0.05) intake of DM and UTRS than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P < 0.05) nutrient digestibility than those fed other treatments. Total and daily weight gain was greater (P < 0.05) in T2 lambs than those fed other diets. The T3 and T4 lambs had greater (P < 0.05) ruminal pH than the T1 and T2 lambs. Supplemented lambs had lower (P < 0.05) ruminal total volatile fatty acids, acetate, propionate, NH-N and C18:0 than the control lambs. The T4 lambs had lower (P < 0.05) population of Fibrobacter succinogenes, Ruminococcus albus, methanogens and total protozoa compared with those fed other diets. Supplemented lambs had lower (P < 0.05) neutrophils, basophils and serum urea and greater (P < 0.05) serum IgA and IgG compared with the control lambs. The current results emphasised the variation in the efficacy of medicinal plants in ruminant nutrition.

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“…Besides of that, increased serum globulin and albumin concentration were absorbed in both plantain and (plantain herb+ garlic leaf) diet groups, and the highest concentrations of serum IgA, IgG1, IgG2 and IgM were recorded in the plantain diet group (43). Similarly, Supplemented diets with (Nigella sativa seeds, Rosmarinus officinalis leaves) had lower (P < 0.05) neutrophils, basophils and serum urea and greater serum (IgA) and (IgG) compared to the control group in lambs (19).…”

“…The active substances content in products can vary widely, in the case of added the herbal plants, depending on the part of the plant used (for instance leaf, seed, bark or root), geographical origin and harvest season (18). Most importantly, the Phytogenic feed additives have been used as alternative growth promoters to chemicals synthetic materials and their positive effects on metabolic requirements and digestive and meat (19) and milk production and quality such as fatty acid profile and lipid oxidation (20). As it's known most herbal plants have coccidiostatic, antibacterial, antihelmintic, antiinflammatory, antiviral or, especially, properties of antioxidant.…”

“…Contrarily, dietary Andrographis paniculata leaves and stem increased feed intake and growth performance in goats (44). Also, dietary supplement with (Nigella sativa) seeds or (Rosmarinus officinalis) leaves at concentration 1% enhanced nutrient digestibility in lambs (19). Thus, it contains many compounds of sulphur that adjust microbial of the rumen fermentation and enhance sheep performance (45).…”

“…Adding supplement of turmeric, vitamin and Andrographis paniculata to the diets, it was discovered that meat from supplemented goats had greater antioxidant activities and sensory quality has been improved when they compare antioxidant contents in meat (52). Nonetheless, in one study sheep fed with (Rosmarinus officinalis) and/or (Nigella sativa) decreased oxidation of lipid in three muscles for sheep (19). Besides, Chinese herbs mixtures for goats increased plasma activities of nitric oxide synthase, glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase and plasma total anti-oxidative capacity (54).…”

Can the foregut nematode Haemonchus contortus and medicinal plants influence the fecal microbial community of the experimentally infected lambs?

“…There is increasing discussion on the therapeutic potential of diets [41]. Studies on rumen fermentation and gut microbiome reveal the ambiguous effects of medicinal herb supplements [8,39,[42][43][44][45]. It seems that response and adaptation to herbal bioactive compounds, fermentation kinetics, and diet composition are among the significant factors contributing to the inconsistent efficacy of medicinal herb supplements [46].…”