EFFECT OF FEEDING SORGHUM HUSK TREATED WITH DIFFERENT LEVELS OF UREA ON NUTRIENT DIGESTIBILITY, SOME BLOOD METABOLITES AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF GROWING SAIDI MALE LAMBS

Document Type : Original Article

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Animal and Poultry Production Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Aswan University, Aswan, 81528 Egypt.

Abstract

This study aims to evaluate the effects of using sorghum husk treated with different levels of urea on the feed intake, digestibility, and blood parameters of growing Saidi male lambs. Twenty-one Saidi male lambs, with an average age of 5.5 months and a body weight of 26.75 ± 2.29 kg, were randomly assigned into three treatments in a completely randomized design. The groups consisted of three diets: a control diet, sorghum husk + 2.5% urea, and sorghum husk + 5% urea. The feeding trial lasted for 120 days. Results non-significant increases in DM intake (P>0.05), significant linear increase in TDN, SV, SE and CP (P<0.05) as the level of urea increased. The same trend was observed with digestibility (P<0.05) of DM, OM, CP, CF, EE and NFE. As The level of urea increased (0,2.5 and 5%) ruminal pH, NH3-N, total nitrogen and VFA's were significantly (P<0.05) increased. Blood serum total protein, albumin, globulin, glucose, GPT, creatinine and urea were linearly increased (P<0.0) as the level of urea in the diet was increased. Final body weight, total weight gain, ADG and FCR were significantly(P<0.05) improved as the level of urea in the diet was increased.

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