IMPACT OF FEEDING SOME FORAGE SHRUBS ON MILK, BLOOD PARAMETERS OF EWES AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF THEIR OFFSPRINGS IN NORTHERN COAST.

Abstract

Forty mature Barki ewes at late pregnancy , 3-4 years old and 45.2±0.47 kg live body weight (LBW) divided into equal four groups were used in this work. This experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding Acacia (AC) Acacia saligna , Atriplex (AT) Atriplex halimus, Cassava (CA) Manihot esculenta. compared to berseem (Trifolium Alexandrinum) hay (BH) on yield, chemical composition and rheological properties of milk, hematological and biochemical blood parameters of ewes, and growth performance of their offspring's. Ewes were fed control diet in G1 consisted of : concentrate feed mixture, rice straw plus BH at levels of 60:10:30%, respectively. Only BH in (G1) was replaced by AC in (G2), or AT in (G3) or CA in (G4) stems and leaves planted in the salt soil. All animals were kept under the same managerial conditions. Results showed insignificant effect of dietary treatment on LBW of ewes. Ewes fed AT in (G3) showed higher (P 0.05) in G1 at the 7th lactation week. Atriplex treatment was accompanied by high level of ca and p .Calcium and phosphorus content were affected significantly (P<0.05) by dietary treatment, being significantly (P<0.05) higher in milk of ewes of G3 than in G1, G2 and G4 at all lactation weeks. The differences were significantly (P<0.05) between G2 and (G1 and G4) at all lactation weeks, although no significant different of Calcium content between G1 and G4 except in 6th an 7th week, however, no significant differences of phosphorus content between G2 and G4 although there were no significant differ-ences between them and G1 at all lactation weeks. Slight differences were detected in acidity, pH value, density and freezing point of milk, ranging from 0.16 to -0.20%, 6.62-6.81, 30.47-36.27% and from -0.49 to -0.64%, respectively. Rennet coagulation time (RCT) values were the lowest through 6 lactation weeks in G2 (98-125 s), and the highest in G4 (143-154 s). Curd tension (CT) was the highest in G2, and the lowest in G4 at 2 and 7 lactation weeks. Trend of Whey Syneresis values of all treatments was opposite to that of Curd Tension . The highest values was recorded with Cassava. Red blood cells (RBCs) count did not differ in G2, G3 and G4 than that of G1. White blood cells WBC’s count, Ht,% and Hg, g/dl concentration were higher (P<0.05) in G4 than in G2 and G3. Concentration of total protein (TP), urea-N, Ca and Ca/P ratio increased (P<0.05) in G2 compared with G4, while both groups did not differ from those in G1 and G3. Concentration of creatinine, triglyceride (TG) and Total cholesterol (TCh) increased (P<0.05) in G2 and glucose increased (P<0.05) in G3 compared with G1. The effect of dietary treatment on concentration of albumin (AL), globulin (GL), AL/GL ratio and phosphorus (P) in plasma was not significant. Average LBW of lambs at birth was higher (P<0.05) in G2, G3 and G4 than in G1. The same trend was observed in LBW of males rather than that of females. LBW, total gain and average daily gain of lambs (males and females) was not affected at different ages. Cassava yielded the highest milk production without any adverse effects on live body weight of ewes or their lambs.