Abstract
The study was conducted on know the effect of different levels of local Bentonite in a percent of 0, 1 and 3% to the ration of Awassi lambs on concentration of minerals and Ammonia concentration and the numbers of microflora of ruminal fluid. Fifteen Awassi lambs were used in this study, aged between 4-6 months with mean body weight of 27.57 ± 0.71 kg. The animals were an individual pens in a space of 1.5 × 2 m. The animals were divided randomly into three equal groups (5 lambs/ groups). The 1st group regarded as a control group, While the 2nd and 3rd group adding to its concentrated ration the local Bentonite in a percentage of 1 and 3% respectively. The animals were fed on a concentrated ration 3% of the body weight and the rough ration (alfalfa hay) were given ad libtium. The results of experiment showed there were a significant increase (P<0.05) in concentration of Ammonia nitrogen of ruminal fluid in the control and 3rd group (3% Bentonite), before morning fed. While there were significantly (P>0.05) decrease in ruminal fluids of animals fed at the 2nd and 3rd group ration (1, 3% Bentonite) after two hours of morning fed as compared with the control group. The results also showed after four hours of morning feeding there was no significant difference between different groups in concentration of Ammonia in ruminal fluid. There was a significant decrease (P>0.05) in sodium salts in blood of lambs fed on 2nd and 3rd ration as compared with control ration. The results showed that addition of Bentonite at different levels (0, 1 and 3) % on lamb ration have no effect on concentration of blood Ca, Ma, K and Al. It has been observed that there was a significant increase (P<0.01) in the numbers of ruminal fluid microflora after addition of 3% Bentonite as compared with control and 1% Bentonite. It was concluded from this study that addition of Bentonite to the lamb ration have a beneficial effect on blood sodium, ruminal fluid Ammonia and the numbers of ruminal microflora.
Highlights
The most important difficulties that faces the ruminants farmer in dry seasons was the availability of food and its high cost which makes feeding of the animal is so difficult [1, 2]
Concentration of Ammonia nitrogen: Table-4 showed the effect of addition of different levels of Bentonite 0, 1 and 3% on the rations of Awassi lambs on the concentration of Ammonia nitrogen of ruminal fluid
The results showed that there was a significant difference (P
Summary
The most important difficulties that faces the ruminants farmer in dry seasons was the availability of food and its high cost which makes feeding of the animal is so difficult [1, 2]. The food additives may be nutritional like addition of animal fats [5] or non-nutritional additives like Bentonite salts which in organic materials gaseous clays originated from valconies and having a great ability of increase absorption and ions exchange [6]. [11] reported that addition of Bentonite to the ration of calves in a percent of 1.5% leads to increase the numbers of microflora of ruminal fluid as compared with control treatment. The aim of this study was to know the effect of different levels of Bentonite (local) in 0, 1 and 3% to the ration and their effect on concentration of blood minerals, Ammonia nitrogen and the numbers of ruminal fluid microflora in Awassi lambs
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