Effect of Nigella sativa cake supplementation on clinical picture, rumen liquor parameters, blood biochemical constituents and haematological findings in goats [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Twelve females baladi goats were used in this study which carried out for five months at the Department of Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Vet. Med., Cairo University. Giza. The immature females weighed 8 - 12 kg were randomly alloted into two groups, the control group (N = 4) fed on 750 g maintenance ration/head/daily, and the tested group (N=8) given the same basal ration supplemented with 100 g/animal of Nigella sativa cake (NSC). Careful clinical examination of goats throughout the experiment revealed that the tested group was improved in general health and body weight in comparison to the control group. The final body weight and body weight gain were significantly higher (P < 0.01) in does with NSC group than the control group. Analysis of rumen liquor revealed that the total volatile fatty acids (TVFAs) was significantly increased (P < 0.05) in NSC group than control, while the values of pH and ammonia were not changed. Supplementation with Nigella sativa cake (NSC) increase significantly the molar proportion of propionate (P < 0.01), decrease significantly the molar proportion of acetate (P < 0.01) and not affect the molar proportion of butyrate and isovalerate.

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