Abstract
Haemato-biochemical profile serve as clinical indicator for the effect of dietary manipulations on physiological health status. The present study was undertaken with the aim to assess the effect of in-feed supplementation of Artemisia absinthium Linn. (wormwood) herb as feed additive on blood metabolic profile (BMP) in sheep. Crossbred lambs (n=15) of 4–6 months age were allotted to three groups in completely randomized design and fed for a period of 90 days followed by 6 day digestibility trial. Animals in all the groups were offered oats straw based complete feeds, supplemented with wormwood herb @ 4.50% dry matter (DM) either alone (Hrb) or in combination with exogenous fibrolytic enzymes (EFE) cocktail @ 0.60% DM (HrbEz), whereas the complete feed without any supplementation served as control (Con). Haemato-biochemical parameters of animals in all the groups were investigated at start (0d) and subsequently at monthly intervals (30, 60 and 90d). Wormwood herb supplementation had positive significant effect on dietary digestible nutrient contents and intakes (p<0.05) as well as overall means of most of the blood cell indices, serum lipid profile and hepato-renal functioning test profile parameters (p<0.01) compared to control. The BMP of wormwood herb supplemented lambs revealed better physiological health status compared to un-supplemented animals. It is concluded that in-feed inclusion of wormwood herb either alone or in combination with EFE for lambs have no adverse effects on haemato-biochemistry suggesting its dietary incorporation for successfully raising lambs intensively.
Published Version
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