FACTORS EFFECTING MEDICINALS PLANT SUPPLEMENTATION ON SOME BLOOD PARAMETERS OF KARADI LAMBS 1-Effect of alkali-treated or untreated barley straw

Abstract

Twenty four individual Karadi male lambs. weighing 22.3+2.25 kg live weight and 4 months old were used to investigate the effect of two levels of Rosemary ( 0 and 7.5 g RO/kg DM ) fed with either NaOH-treated or untreated barley straw on the diurnal patterns of plasma growth hormone (GH) , serum sugar (SS) , serum urea nitrogen concentration (SUN) serum uric acid (SUA). concentration during 24 h post morning feeding were investigated . The tested groups were fed randomly on one of the following experimental diets . Diet 1 and 2 fed untreated straw supplemented with 0 and 7.5 g/kg DM ,RO respectively ; Diet 3and 4 fed NaOH-treated straw supplemented with 0 and 7.5 g/kg DM , RO respectively , Within 2-3 days before ending the feeding trail , blood samples were taken from the experimental animals to determine GH, SUN, SS and SUA . All diets were associated with post- prandial increases in GH, SS and SUA and decreases in SUN concentration during the first 6 h post morning feeding . SS ,SUN and SUA concentration in lambs received RO was significantly (P<0.05) higher than those fed diets without ., While GH was not affected . Lambs fed NaOH-treated straw was significantly (P<0.05) increase SS and reduce SUA as compared with those fed untreated straw.