Nutrient Digestibility and Growth Performance of Small Ruminants Fed on Date Palm Leaves Treated with Mono and Combined Enzymes الهضم الغذائى واداء النمو للمجترات الصغیرة المغذاه على سعف النخیل المعامل بالانزیمات الفردیة والمتحدة.

Abstract

lambs performance, economic conversion, feed efficiency, rumen fermentation characteristics, rumen ciliate protozoa and bacteria counts, blood parameters, nutrients digestibility, nutritive value, nitrogen and water balance as affected by feeding date palm leaves supplemented with cellulase, fibrolytic enzymes or combination of each other were investigated in the current study. Thirty weaning Barki lambs (3-4 months old and 12.50 kg live body weight) were randomly divided into five groups (6 lambs each ) to conduct growth trail followed by digestibility trail. Lambs received five treatments: T(1):Concentrate feed mixture (CFM) + berseem hay (BH) (control), T(2): CFM + untreated DPL + BH, T(3): CFM + DPL incubated with cellulase enzyme + BH, T(4): CFM + DPL incubated with Fibrolytic enzyme + BH, T(5): CFM + DPL incubated with cellulase and fibrolytic enzymes+ BH. Concentrate: roughage ratio was 50: 50%, DPL: BH ratio was 40: 10%. Enzymes supplementation improved lambs performance, whereas T5, T4 and T3 increased (P<0.05) feed intake, live body weight, total and daily gain, economic conversion and feed efficiency compared with T2. Also, lambs received T5, T4 and T3 showed better concentrations of rumen fermentation products, rumen microbes and blood serum parameters more than T2. All nutrients, digestibility, nutritive values and nitrogen balance significantly (P<0.05) improved as compared with T2. The results of treatments supplemented with enzymes were close to the results of control. Feeding date palm leaves treated with cellulase, fibrolytic enzymes or combination of each at ratio of 40 % from roughage had positive effect on lambs performance.