Effect of Dietary Onion, Garlic and Fenugreek Seeds Powder on Feed Intake, Blood Metabolites and Rumen Fermentation in Ossimi Ewes

Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of onion, garlic, fenugreek seeds as feed additives on feed intake, some blood plasma constituents and ruminal fermentation of ossimi ewes. Twenty pregnant ossimi ewes on day 90 ±7 of pregnancy, were randomly divided into four similar groups (5 animals each). Control group (T1) was fed the basal diet which consisted of 60 % concentrate feed mixture (44% yellow corn, 20% soybean meal, 20% wheat bran, 13% undecorticated cottonseeds meal, 2% lime stone and 1% salt) and 40 % roughages (20% wheat straw and 20% chopped alfalfa hay). While, the other three treatment groups were fed the same basal diet, supplemented with either 3% onion powder (T2), 3% garlic powder (T3) or 3% fenugreek seeds powder (T4) the rations (concentrate + roughages) were fed ad lipitum. Feed intake was recorded daily. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein from all animals before morning feeding. Rumen samples were collected from all ewes using a stomach tube to determine ruminal pH values, ammonia-N concentration and total VFA s concentration. Feed intake increased (P˂0.05) during the late pregnancy of ewes fed onion, garlic and fenugreek seeds. While, after parturition feed intake was not significantly differ among groups except for that of onion and garlic groups at the first month of lactation, which was significantly (P>0.05) increased as compared with control. Plasma total protein and albumin levels increased (P˂0.05) in treated groups as compared with control, while there were no significant differences in plasma globulin, albumin: globulin ratio, triglycerides and glucose between treated groups and control one. Plasma cholesterol concentration decreased (P˂0.05) in ewes fed garlic as compared with those fed control, onion and fenugreek diets. Also, plasma cholesterol concentration of ewes fed onion decreased (P˂0.05) as compared with fed control and fenugreek diets. There were no significant differences among groups in rumen pH values at zero h of feeding or 6 hrs after feeding. Ruminal ammonia-N concentration decreased (P>0.05) in all treated groups as compared with control. Also, total volatile fatty acids concentration in rumen liquor increased (P>0.05) in all treated groups as compared with control one. In conclusion onion, garlic or fenugreek seeds as feed additives may have a beneficial effect on feed intake, blood metabolites and rumen fermentation of ossimi ewes.