Effect of oak acorn level on colostrum composition and plasma immunoglobulin G of late-pregnant goats and their kids.

Oak acorn contains high levels of tannins which have capacity to form complexes with proteins and consequently reduce their availability and as a result it could reduce colostrum quality and immunoglobulin (Ig) synthesis. Thus, the aim of this experiment was to investigate the effects of dietary oak (Quercus persica) acorn (OA) level during the last 60 days of pregnancy on colostrum composition and plasma metabolites and IgG level of goats and their kids. In all, 24 multiparous pregnant goats (41.7±2.3 kg BW) were assigned into one of the three experimental diets consisted of control diet (without OA) and diets containing 20% (OA20) or 40% (OA40) OA on dry matter basis. Goats fed OA40 had lower BW change compared with other groups (P⩽0.05). Kids birth weight was not affected by experimental diets (P>0.05). Goats fed OA containing diets had lower plasma glucose, triglyceride and Fe concentrations compared with those fed the control diet (P0.05), whereas kids born from goats fed OA containing diets had lower plasma IgG level compared with the control diet (P<0.01). It is concluded that feeding OA during the last 60 days of pregnancy decreased colostrum quality which may have adverse effect on kid's survival.

Effect of oak (Quercus persica) acorn level on apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance and urinary purine derivatives in pregnant goats.

The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary oak (Quercus persica) acorn (OA) level on dry matter intake (DMI), apparent nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilization, ruminal fermentation, protozoa population and urinary purine derivatives (PD) during the last 60 days of goat pregnancy. Twenty-four multiparous pregnant goats (41.7 ± 2.3 kg BW) were assigned to one of three experimental diets consisted of control diet (C, without OA) and diets containing 20 (OA20 ) or 40 g/100 g of OA (OA40 ) on a DM basis in a completely randomized block design. Goats fed OA40 had lower DMI (p < .01), DM (p < .01), OM (p < .01) and NDF (p < .05) digestibility, ruminal NH3 -N concentration (p < .01), N intake (p < .01) and N retention (p < .01). Crude protein digestibility and ruminal acetate and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration were lower in animals fed OA-contained diets (p < .01), whereas ruminal propionate concentration was higher in goats fed the C diet (p < .01). Animals fed OA40 had higher faecal N excretion and lower urinary N excretion (p < .01). Urinary PD was lower in goats fed diets containing OA in relation to those fed the C diet (p < .01). Total protozoa population decreased linearly with increasing OA level in the diet (p < .05). These results suggest that feeding OA, especially high level, has negative impacts on DMI, nutrient digestibility, VFA concentration, N retention and urinary PD excretion that may have adverse effects on metabolism and performance of pregnant goats.

Effects of dried and ensiled apple pomace from puree making on performance of finishing lambs.

This experiment was conducted to study the effect of ensiled and dried Apple Pomace (AP) obtained from puree making on finishing performance of lambs. Digestibilities of both ensiled and dried AP were determined using 4 mature sheep. In finishing experiment, 18 Sanjabi male lambs were used (9 per treatment) in a 120 day finishing experiment which was divided into two periods (60 day each). In the first period the ensiled AP and in the second period the dried AP were fed in an iso caloric, iso nitrogenous total mix ration. The Dry Matter (DM), crude protein and neutral detergent fiber of ensiled and dried AP were 247.1, 63.85, 386.4 g kg(-1) DM and 888.4, 51.2, 385.6 g kg(-1) DM, respectively. No significant difference was observed in the apparent digestibility of ensiled and dried AP. The apparent DM digestibilities of ensiled and dried AP were 704.3 and 668.2 g kg(-1) DM, respectively. Feeding ensiled AP significantly increased Dry Matter Intake (0.938 vs. 0.803 kg day(-1)), Average Daily Gain (ADG) (199.8 vs. 155.56 g) and Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) (4.69 vs. 5.16). Use of dried AP had no significant effect on DMI (1.030 vs. 0.932 kg day(-1)) but significantly improved the ADG (192.3 vs. 123.82 g) and FCR (5.36 vs. 7.52). Apple pomace increased carcass dressing percentage but had no effect on the percentage of different cuts. Results of this study suggest that AP, in both ensiled and dried forms, can improve the performance of finishing lambs.