Metabolic and molecular responses to calcium soap of fish oil fed to ewes during peripartal period.

It has been shown that n-3 long chain fatty acids (n-3 LCFA) are involved in energy/lipid metabolisms, reproductive parameters, and molecular regulations leading to maintained homeostasis. We hypothesized that supplementation of peripartal diets with fish oil (FO), as a source of n-3 LCFA, could improve energy balance and modulate metabolic pressure in a sheep model. Prepartum ewes (n = 24) were fed control (CON) or calcium soap of fish oil (FO) supplemented-diet from four weeks before until three weeks after parturation. Feed intake, body weight (BW) change, plasma metabolites, colostrums/milk composition, and fatty acids profile of milk along with the expression of core microRNAs in glucose and lipid metabolism were evaluated. Prepartal feed intake decreased in FO group (1674 ± 33.26 vs. 1812 ± 35.56) though post-partal intake was similar. Differences in BW were not also significant (55.47 ± 2.07 in CON vs. 53.69 ± 1.94 in FO). No differences were observed in plasma metabolites except for cholesterol that was lower in FO group (56.25 ± 0.71 vs. 53.09 ± 0.61). Milk fat percentage was reduced (8.82 ± 0.49 vs. 7.03 ± 0.45) while the percentage of milk total n-3 LCFA increased in FO group. In accordance, the relative transcript abundance of miR-101 (0.215 ± 0.08) and miR-103 (0.37 ± 0.15) decreased by FO supplementation. Results showed that FO supplementation during peripartal period decreased milk fat, feed intake, plasma cholesterol, milk n-6:n-3 ratio and the expression of miR-101. Although the trend indicated that FO could alter lipid metabolism during transition period, further studies are needed to fully address its effect on energy balance and homeorhetic processes.

Bentonite supplementation can improve performance and fermentation parameters of chronic lead-exposed lambs.

Two experiments were conducted to investigate the effect of supplemental bentonite on performance, blood, and fermentation characteristics in Zandi lambs. In experiment 1, 20 Zandi male lambs (initial BW, 17.5 ± 1.6 kg and 110 ± 5 days old) were randomly assigned into four groups of five animals in each. The experimental treatments were (1) control (no Pb and bentonite), (2) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and no bentonite, (3) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 1.5% bentonite, and (4) 15 mg/kg DM Pb as Pb acetate and 3% bentonite. The dietary treatments had no significant effect on dry matter intake of experimental lambs. Feed required per unit of weight gain was more (P < 0.05) in lead-exposed lambs in group 2 compared to the control and bentonite supplemented groups. Serum glucose, urea nitrogen, cholesterol, HDL, and LDL concentrations was similar among the treatments. In experiment 2, an in vitro gas production technique was used to evaluate the effects of bentonite supplementation on the gas production parameters of lead-polluted diets. The rate and amount of gas production was higher for bentonite supplemented groups (P < 0.01). Asymptotic gas production (b), metabolizable energy, and concentration of short chain fatty acids were lower (P < 0.05) for lead-polluted non-supplemented diet (group 2) as compared to the bentonite supplemented and control groups. It was concluded that bentonite supplementation favorably modified ruminal fermentation pattern and improved feed conversion ratio in growing lead-exposed lambs.

Source of copper may have regressive effects on serum cholesterol and urea nitrogen among male fattening lambs.

An experiment was conducted to determine the effect of dietary copper (Cu) on mineral profile, hematological parameters, and lipid metabolism in lambs. Eighteen Zandi male lambs (approximately 3 months of age; 17.53±1.6 kg of body weight) were housed in individual pens and were assigned randomly to one of three treatments. Treatments consisted of (1) control (no supplemental Cu), (2) 10 mg Cu/kg dry matter (DM) from copper sulfate (CuS), and (3) 10 mg Cu/kg DM from Cu proteinate (CuP). The Cu concentration was 8.2 mg/kg DM in the basal diet. Blood was sampled from the jugular vein at the beginning of the study (enrollment, before feeding Cu supplement) and at days 25, 50, and 70 of experiment. The amounts of total serum glucose, urea nitrogen, calcium, phosphorus, iron, copper, zinc, and lipids and hematological parameters were measured. Average daily gain and feed efficiency were improved (P<0.05) with Cu supplementation and were better for the lambs fed diet supplemented with CuP. The concentrations of serum Ca, P, and Zn were not affected by source of Cu in the diet. However, Fe concentration was lower (P<0.01) in the Cu-supplemented groups. Experimental treatment had no significant effects on the hematological parameters. The serum glucose concentration was not affected by treatments. However, the urea nitrogen concentrations were significantly affected (P<0.05) by added Cu and was lower for CuP group as compared to the lambs in the CuS and control groups. Addition of Cu had no influence (P>0.05) on the serum triglyceride concentration, but lambs fed with CuP supplement had lower (P<0.05) serum cholesterol than the CuS and control animals. These results indicated that CuP supplemented at 10 mg/kg DM improved gain and enhanced the efficiency of nitrogen in male lambs.

The effects of feeding clinoptilolite on hematology, performance, and health of newborn lambs.

The effects of feeding clinoptilolite on hematology, performance, and health of newborn Balouchi lambs were evaluated in this experiment. In a completely randomized design, 30 newborn lambs were allocated to three groups and fed by basal diet (C0; without clinoptilolite) and C1 and C2 (the basal diet plus 1.5% and 3% clinoptilolite, respectively, for 6 weeks (3 weeks before and 3 weeks after weaning)). Blood samples were taken from all lambs, at the time when the animals were allocated to the experimental diet and at the end of each week of experiment, and analyzed for hematology, plasma fibrinogen, and total protein. Performance and health of all lambs were measured. Fecal consistency score and diarrhea severity were evaluated. There was no difference between lambs in case of hematological parameters. Lambs fecal consistency score and severity of diarrhea were lowest (P < 0.05) for lambs on C1 and C2 and highest for lambs on C0. Dry matter intake and feed conservation ratio were similar between the groups of lambs fed by different diets, but daily gain of lambs differed significantly (P < 0.05) and was higher in C2. It was concluded that addition of 3% clinoptilolite to starter diet of newborn lamb can reduce incidence and severity of diarrhea, although its effect on hematology and performance was negligible.

Productivity, blood metabolites and carcass characteristics of fattening Zandi lambs fed sodium bentonite supplemented total mixed rations.

Thirty male Zandy lambs (25 +/- 0.50 kg BW, 10 lambs in each group) were randomly allocated in three (control, 2% bentonite and 4% bentonite) treatment groups. Lambs were fed Total Mixed Rations (TMRs) containing 75% Concentrate Mixture (CM) and 25% forage. Sodium bentonite was mixed with the CM part of TMRs before being mixed with the forage. The fattening period lasted 84 days and data were collected on the performance, blood metabolites and carcass characteristics of lambs. Results showed that sheep fed bentonite added diets had relatively higher feed intake than the control group which ended to slightly higher weight change with a fairly appropriate feed conversion ratio in bentonite fed animals. Compared to the control group, a reasonably lower glucose and urea concentration and a higher total protein content was observed in the blood of sheep fed bentonite supplemented diets. The use of bentonite in diets did not affect the blood cholesterol contents of sheep. Slaughter weights, carcass dressing out percentages and carcass cuts were a bit higher in sheep of bentonite fed groups compared to those in control group. Sheep fed bentonite added diets produced carcasses with lower subcutaneous fat thicknesses and lower fat-tail percentages. Furthermore, feed cost was estimated to be lower for sheep in 2% bentonite group than that in other two groups. In conclusion, the use of two-percent sodium bentonite is suggested for diets of fattening lambs in Iranian feed markets.

Effects of live yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae on fermentation parameters and microbial populations of rumen, total tract digestibility of diet nutrients and on the in situ degradability of alfalfa hay in Iranian Chall sheep.

The effects of live yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (LYSC, strain Sc 47) on rumen fermentation and microbial populations, digestibility of nutrients, degradability of alfalfa hay and on the performances of sheep were investigated in two experiments. In both experiments, animals in treatment groups were received 0, 2.5, 5 and 7.5 g of LYSC per sheep per day and were defined as control, 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5 g LYSC treatment groups, respectively. In the first experiment, four fistulated Chall sheep (49 +/- 0.5 kg BW) were kept in individual metabolic crates under a 4x4 Latin square design and fed a Total Mixed Ration (TMR) containing of barely (48%), wheat bran (16%), shelled corn (5%), mineral-vitamin mix (1%) and of alfalfa hay (30%). In the second experiment, 28 sheep (48 +/- 0.5 kg BW) were assigned into four treatment groups under a complete randomized design and fed a TMR containing of barely (60%), wheat bran (7%), cottonseed meal (2%), mineral-vitamin mix (1%) and of alfalfa hay (15%) and wheat straw (15%). The highest and the lowest ruminal pH values (p < 0.01) were recorded for sheep in 2.5 g LYSC and control groups, respectively. At 3 h post-feeding, the total VFA of rumen fluid was increased (p < 0.01) from 91.26 to 103.34 mmol L(-1) in control vs. 2.5 g LYSC groups. The ruminal NH3-N of sheep was decreased (p < 0.01) from 159.63 to 128.90 mg L(-1) in control vs. 2.5 g LYSC groups. Bacterial populations of rumen fluids were differed from 14 to 43% in treatment groups although the differences were not significant. Compared to the other groups, voluntary feed intake was higher (p < 0.01) in 5.0 g LYSC group and this was ended to an inappropriate feed to gain ratio in this group. It can be concluded that the use of LYSC at a level of 2.5 g per sheep per day could improve the ruminal fermentation and resulted in a relatively better performances in Chall sheep.