Effect of Feeding Rations Based on the Residues of some Vegetable Crops on Nutrients Digestibility, Rumen Fermentation, some Blood Components and Performance of Growing Sheep's

Abstract

Twenty four growing male sheep aged 4-6 months, with an average live body weight of 27 Kg, were grouped into six blocks of 4 sheep each block, to determine the effect of replacing clover hay (CH) by pepper or eggplant vines on their performance, nutrients digestibility, rumen fermentation and blood constitutes.The first experimental ration (R1) as a control, animals was fed concentrate feed mixture(CFM) + CH (50:50),ration 2 (R2)was fed 50% CFM + 50% pepper vines (PV), ration 3 (R3) was fed 50% CFM + 25% CH + 25% PV, ration 4 (R4) was fed 50% CFM + 50% eggplant (EV) vines, ration 5 (R5) was fed 50% CFM + 25% CH + 25% EV and ration 6(R6)was fed 50% CFM + 25% PV + 25% EV. The results revealed that both CP and ash contents in CH and the two vines were convergent, but eggplant had more CF content than CH or PV.  Insignificant digestibility of CP and CF between control and pepper rations, while it much significant with eggplant. The TDN values were similar for the tested rations,but it decreased for R6. Inclusion of both vines decreased NH3-N and increased TVFA's concentration. There were insignificant differences of feeding rations on blood constitutes;they were in the normal rang. Conclusively,the residues of pepper or eggplant vines could be used as new and economically alternative source of feeds in the growing sheep rations. They can be replacing 50%  of clover hay from total balanced ration as they had good feed efficiency.