Effect of inclusion of dried rumen contents to rations on the productive performance of lactating baladi goats [electronic resource].

Includes references.

Four Baladi goats were ranked in a 4 x 4 Latin square design for 16 weeks in two experiments. The first experiment was to study the effect of dried rumen contents (DRC) in three treatments compared to control on the bases of live body weight, DMI, ruminal environment, blood parameters, nutritive value and nutrients digestibilites. The control diet consisted of (500% CFM + 500% berseem hay (BH)), T₁ (50% CFM + 12.5% DRC, 37.5% BH), T₂ (500% CFM + 25% DRC + 25% BH) and T₃ (500% CFM + 37.5% DRC + 12.5% BH). A second experiment was carried out to evaluate milk production and milk compositions of animals fed on the above mentioned treatments and eventually, evaluate feed efficiency of the treatments. Results of the first experiment showed that ruminal fluid from animals fed three treatments bad lower values of NH₃-N, TVFAs, TN and NPN compared to the control. However, ruminal pH values were slightly higher of the goats were fed rations containing DRC compared to the control. Blood serum of animals fed with T₁, T₂ or T rations bad lower values of albumin, A/G and glucose as compared to the control. However, T₃ ration caused higher values of globulin and TP, and not significantly (P>0.05) for urea and cholesterol. Blood serum creatinine was not affected by the treatments. No significant differences were found between T₂, T₃ and control groups in respect of blood serum AST activity, while T₁ showed higher AST value (p<0.05), but all of the values were within the normal physiological range. Blood serum ALT activities were also within the normal physiological range. Live body weight was not affected by treatments. Dry matter intake (DMI) was decreased gradually by adding DRC in rations of lactating goats. Results of nutrient digestibilities showed that T₁ ration containing 12.5% DRC improved the digestibilities of DM, OM, CF and BE compared to control and other treatments (T₂ and T₃). Also, T₁ and control rations showed the same trend of high values of TDN, OE, ME and NE as compared to T₂ and T₃. In the second experiment, milk yield, 4% FCM and lactose content of milk were decreased gradually by increasing the level of DRC as compared to the control. Milk total solid content was increased gradually by increasing level of DRC in the ration. Milk fat and SNF content were not affected by T₁ and T₃ as compared to control but T₂ caused higher value (p<0.05). Milk protein content was the same in T₁ group than the control. Milk ash content was not affected by the treatments except for T₂ which was significantly (P<0.05) lowest than other treatments. It could be concluded that the best replacement of BH was for ration that containing 12.5% of DRC which showed nearly the same results than that of control.

Summary in Arabic.

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