title: Impact of feeding saltbush twigs on feed intake, weight gain, and some mineral levels of fattening awassi lambs.
abstract: This experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of the inclusion of saltbush (Atriplex sp.) on the productive performance and blood mineral profile of fattening lambs. Eighteen Awassi lambs, 70 +/- 3 days of age and 23 +/- 1.8 kg body weights, were randomly selected and divided into three equal groups. Lambs in group one (control) were offered 0.2 kg/day shredded straw of barley (tibin) as the sole source of roughage, while lambs in treatment groups 2 and 3 were provided either 0.2 kg/day Atriplex nummularia or Atriplex halimus as their sole roughage content for 10 weeks. All lambs were also provided 1.1 kg/day of concentrate ration. Although lambs fed A. halimus had significantly (P < 0.05) lower dry matter intake than the control group, the daily weight gain of the two groups of lambs were not significantly different (P > 0.05). Lambs fed either A. nummularia or A. halimus had significantly lower (P < 0.05) calcium and copper levels but significantly higher (P < 0.05) cobalt levels in their blood serum than the control group. Zinc blood serum level was not affected (P > 0.05) by the treatment diets. These results suggested that A. nummularia and A. halimus can substitute for barley straw in the ration of fattening Awassi lambs without compromising lambs weight gain; however, special attention should be given to the mineral status in lambs if saltbush is a major feed component for prolonged periods of time.
authors.affiliation: North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Greensboro, NC 27411, USA. awfa.yosef@gmail.com
authors.forename: A Y
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Alazzeh
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Abughazaleh
authors.forename: F T
authors.initials: FT
authors.lastname: Awawdeh
authors.forename: M M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Abdelrahman
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Al-Rayyan
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D027466:Atriplex; D001835:Body Weight; D008903:Minerals / Q000378:metabolism*; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D008903:Minerals