Document Detail


Rumen development and growth of Balouchi lambs offered alfalfa hay pre- and post-weaning.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21465104     Owner:  NLM     Status:  Publisher    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
The consumption of solid feed is essential for successful transition from a pre-ruminant to a functional digestive tract. Lambs fed starter rations containing highly fermentable carbohydrates often experience dramatic changes in concentrations of rumen and blood metabolites. The optimal amount of roughage required in the diet of pre-ruminant animals is still unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of feeding alfalfa hay on performance and rumen development in young Balouchi lambs. In a completely randomized design, 30 lambs were fed one of three experimental diets consisting of a control, without alfalfa hay (C), a diet containing 7.5% alfalfa hay (A1), and a diet containing 15% alfalfa hay (A2). Lambs fed A1 and A2 diets had lower dry matter intake during the pre-weaning period (P < 0.01) and overall (P = 0.02), but feed conversion ratio and average daily gain were not affected by feeding alfalfa hay. Concentration of beta-hydroxybutyric acid was higher in C compared with the A1 and A2 groups (P < 0.01). Concentrations of glucose and non-esterified fatty acids did not differ among the groups of animals. Feeding alfalfa hay reduced thickness of the rumen epithelial keratinized layer (P = 0.04) and increased thickness of muscular layer (P = 0.05). We concluded that including 15% alfalfa hay in the starter diet could reduce thickness of the keratinization layer and increase muscularity of rumen wall without adverse effects on growth and performance of newborn lambs.
Authors:
Mohammad Ali Norouzian; Reza Valizadeh; Payam Vahmani
Related Documents :
2222254 - The effects of a liquid diet on initial and sustained, stimulated parotid salivary secr...
7616854 - Sympathetic activity is lower in rats fed a beef tallow diet than in rats fed a safflow...
19535424 - Dietary ascophyllum nodosum increases urinary excretion of tricarboxylic acid cycle int...
19915384 - Effect of dietary glycemic index on food intake, adiposity, and fasting plasma ghrelin ...
2774634 - In vivo distribution of human milk leucocytes after ingestion by newborn baboons.
1729474 - Potentiation of acute acetaminophen lethality by selenium and vitamin e deficiency in m...
Publication Detail:
Type:  JOURNAL ARTICLE     Date:  2011-4-5
Journal Detail:
Title:  Tropical animal health and production     Volume:  -     ISSN:  1573-7438     ISO Abbreviation:  -     Publication Date:  2011 Apr 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-4-5     Completed Date:  -     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  1277355     Medline TA:  Trop Anim Health Prod     Country:  -    
Other Details:
Languages:  ENG     Pagination:  -     Citation Subset:  -    
Affiliation:
Department of Animal Science, College of Aboureihan, University of Tehran, Tehran, P.O. Box 11365-4117, Iran, manorouzian@ut.ac.ir.
Export Citation:
APA/MLA Format     Download EndNote     Download BibTex
MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


Previous Document:  Determinants of sheep prices in the highlands of northeastern Ethiopia: implication for sheep value ...
Next Document:  Acute oxalate intoxication associated to ingestion of eshnan (Seidlitzia rosmarinus) in sheep.