Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Agro-Industry Company, Ide Bonian Aria, Hamadan, 620605, Iran.
2 Department of Animal Science, Tabriz University, Tabriz, Iran
Abstract
The present study was conducted to investigate the effect of different levels of garlic powder on performance, rumen fermentation parameters, nutrient digestibility, blood parameters and economic efficiency in fattening lambs. For this purpose, 24 male Shaal fattening lambs with an average initial weight of 26.34±1.67 kg was used in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 6 replications. The experimental treatments included the control treatment (without garlic powder) and treatments containing 20, 40 and 60 g/kg based on dry matter of garlic powder in the diet. The results showed that the use of diets containing 40 and 60 g/kg of garlic powder increased total weight gain and average daily weight gain compared to the control treatment. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein was significantly higher in the 40 and 60 g garlic powder treatments than in the control and 20 g garlic powder treatments (P<0.05). In lambs fed 40 and 60 g garlic powder, the concentration of total volatile fatty acids and propionate increased compared to the control treatment, but the ratio of acetate to propionate decreased significantly. Different levels of garlic powder increased the concentration of immunoglobulin G and M. The feed cost per kg of body weight gain in the 20, 40 and 60 g garlic powder treatments was reduced by 1.75, 6.43 and 7.60%, respectively. Therefore, garlic powder can be used as a feed additive to improve the performance and health of fattening lambs up to the level of 60 g/kg feed.
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