The effects of different levels of summer savory (Satureja Hortensis L.) dry powder and essential oil on performance, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites of west Azerbaijan native kids

Effects of summer savory (Satureja Hortensis L.) dry powder (SSDP) and essential oil (SSEO) on performance, ruminal fermentation and blood metabolites were assessed using 20west Azerbaijan native kids (16±1.94 kg initial live weight) in a random block design with 5 treatments (4 replicates per treatment) over a 13-week period. Treatments were: i) basal diet without additive (Control), ii): basal diet with 10 g/d of SSDP, iii) basal diet with 20 g/d of SSDP, iv) basal diet with 100 mg/d  of SSEO and  v) basal diet with 200 mg/d of SSEO. Treatments had no effects (P˃0.05) on dry matter intake, average daily gain and feed conversion of kids. The ruminal pH of the groups fed diets which supplemented with 20 g/d of SSDP or 200 mg/d SSEO tended to be lower (P˂0.05) than those fed other additive treatments. Concentrations of total volatile fatty acids, acetate, butyrate and branched-chain volatile fatty acid were not changed by treatments, while supplementation of 20 g/d of SSDP or 200 mg/d SSEO to diets resulted in higher (P˂0.001) propionate molar proportion versus the other additive treatments. Ammonia N concentration significantly reduced (P˂0.05) when diet supplemented by high dose of SSDP. The blood urea nitrogen was also significantly decreased (P˂0.05) by addition of 20 g/d of SSDP compared with control. However plasma concentrations of glucose, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein, beta hydroxyl butyric acid and non-esterified fatty acids were not differ (P˃0.05) among treatments. In conclusion, the results of this study indicated that addition of SSDP or SSEO to diet have the potential to improve ruminal fermentation of kids