<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>The efficiency of the bacterium <italic>Bacillus subtilis</italic> and white-rot fungus <italic>Phanerochaete chrysosporium</italic> on growth performance, blood metabolites, carcass characteristics, meat composition and nutrient digestibility of lambs fed crushed whole palm leaf hay was investigated for 105 d. In Experiment 1 (Growth experiment), twenty-four lambs (29.5 ± 1.25 kg) were divided into four feed-based treatments: (1) concentrate and wheat straw <italic>ad libitum</italic> (control), (2) palm leaf hay (DPL), (3) palm leaf hay supplemented with 2 g of <italic>B. subtilis</italic> and <italic>P. chrysosporium</italic> (DPL2) or (4) palm leaf hay supplemented with 4 g of <italic>B. subtilis</italic> and <italic>P. chrysosporium</italic> (DPL4). In Experiment 2 (Digestibility experiment), twelve rams, three from each treatment, were used to study nutrient digestibility using the faecal bag technique. Results of the Experiment 1 showed that the DPL4 showed greater (P=0.049) live-weight gain than the control. The diets containing palm leaf hay showed lower (P=0.001) roughage and total feed intake and higher (P=0.001) feed efficiency than the control. Increased serum total protein, globulin, urea-N, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were observed with the DPL4 (P˂0.05). Additionally, diets containing palm leaf hay showed higher ALT levels than the control. The DPL4 increased the hot carcass weight (P=0.006) and dressing percentage (P=0.036), and the diets supplemented with <italic>B. subtilis</italic> and <italic>P. chrysosporium</italic> decreased (P˂0.05) the tail fat and all fat levels compared with the DPL treatment. Results of the Experiment 2 showed that nutrient digestibility was lower (P˂0.05) with the DPL and DPL2 than with the control and DPL4. Compared with the control, nutrient digestibility of DPL4 was not affected. It is concluded that replacement of wheat straw with palm leaf hay did not affect the feed utilization or animal performance of the lambs; however, supplementation with <italic>B. subtilis</italic> and <italic>P. chrysosporium</italic> at 4 g/lamb daily enhanced the growth performance, and carcass characteristics without any adverse effects on blood metabolites.</p></abstract>

The efficiency of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis and white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium on growth performance, blood metabolites, carcass characteristics, meat composition and nutrient digestibility of lambs fed crushed whole palm leaf hay was investigated for 105 d. In Experiment 1 (Growth experiment), twenty-four lambs (29.5 ± 1.25 kg) were divided into four feed-based treatments: (1) concentrate and wheat straw ad libitum (control), (2) palm leaf hay (DPL), (3) palm leaf hay supplemented with 2 g of B. subtilis and P. chrysosporium (DPL2) or (4) palm leaf hay supplemented with 4 g of B. subtilis and P. chrysosporium (DPL4). In Experiment 2 (Digestibility experiment), twelve rams, three from each treatment, were used to study nutrient digestibility using the faecal bag technique. Results of the Experiment 1 showed that the DPL4 showed greater (P=0.049) live-weight gain than the control. The diets containing palm leaf hay showed lower (P=0.001) roughage and total feed intake and higher (P=0.001) feed efficiency than the control. Increased serum total protein, globulin, urea-N, aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels were observed with the DPL4 (P˂0.05). Additionally, diets containing palm leaf hay showed higher ALT levels than the control. The DPL4 increased the hot carcass weight (P=0.006) and dressing percentage (P=0.036), and the diets supplemented with B. subtilis and P. chrysosporium decreased (P˂0.05) the tail fat and all fat levels compared with the DPL treatment. Results of the Experiment 2 showed that nutrient digestibility was lower (P˂0.05) with the DPL and DPL2 than with the control and DPL4. Compared with the control, nutrient digestibility of DPL4 was not affected. It is concluded that replacement of wheat straw with palm leaf hay did not affect the feed utilization or animal performance of the lambs; however, supplementation with B. subtilis and P. chrysosporium at 4 g/lamb daily enhanced the growth performance, and carcass characteristics without any adverse effects on blood metabolites.

Enhancing the Utilization of Palm Leaf Hay Using <italic>Bacillus subtilis</italic> and <italic>Phanerochaete chrysosporium</italic> in the Diet of Lambs Under Desert Conditions

Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture

Annals of Animal Science

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Enhancing the Utilization of Palm Leaf Hay Using  and  in the Diet of Lambs Under Desert Conditions

The efficiency of the bacterium Bacillus subtilis and white-rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium on growth performance, blood metabolites, carcass...

Enhancing the Utilization of Palm Leaf Hay Using Bacillus subtilis and Phanerochaete chrysosporium in the Diet of Lambs Under Desert Conditions

Published Online: Nov 07, 2020

Page range: 1395 - 1409

Received: Jan 06, 2020

Accepted: May 14, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2020-0052

Keywords
blood metabolites, date palm leaves, digestibilities, performance, wheat straw

© 2020 Hatem A. Hamdon et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Enhancing the Utilization of Palm Leaf Hay Using Bacillus subtilis and Phanerochaete chrysosporium in the Diet of Lambs Under Desert Conditions

Published Online: Nov 07, 2020

Page range: 1395 - 1409

Received: Jan 06, 2020

Accepted: May 14, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/aoas-2020-0052

Keywordsblood metabolites, date palm leaves, digestibilities, performance, wheat straw

© 2020 Hatem A. Hamdon et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Keywords
blood metabolites, date palm leaves, digestibilities, performance, wheat straw