Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
Abstract
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of summer savory essential oil (SSEO) with Cereals (based on barley or corn) on performance, rumen volatile fatty acid concentrations and some blood parameters of west Azerbaijan native kids. In a randomized complete block design with a 3×2 factorial (0, 200 and 400 mg/d of SSEO × barley or corn grain based diets) arrangement with 6 replications, 36 female Kids with 18 ± 2.62 kg initial live weight were used for 11 weeks. Kids were kept in individual cages and had free access to food and water. Dry matter intake, weight gain and feed conversion ration were not affected by the treatments but total concentration of volatile fatty acids and rumen fluid acetate in group fed 400 mg summer savory essential oil and barley grain were higher than other treatments )p< 0.05). Propionate, butyrate molar ratios, however, and branched fatty acids were not affected by any of the factors tested (p > 0.05). Concentrations ofblood glucose was affected by the essential oil supplementation) p< 0.05). In conclusion, the summer savory essential oil could affect the rumen fermentation butblood parameters did not differ significantly between treatments except for glucose other than glucose did not affected the blood metabolites
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