MICROBIAL PROTEIN PRODUCTION AND RUMEN METABOLITES PARAMETERS OF YANKASA RAMS FED DIETS CONTAINING DIFFERENT NITROGEN SOURCES WITH BALANITES AEGYPTIACA LEAF POWDER AS RUMEN BUFFER

Abstract

Experiment was carried out to evaluate the response of growing Yankasa rams to complete sorghum stover based diets containing varying levels of different nitrogen sources with rumen buffer plant on digestible organic matter fermented in the rumen (DOMR), microbial nitrogen (MN) and rumen metabolites. Complete diets containing 16% crude protein (CP) was formulated for the experiment. Urea was incorporated into the diets at 0, 0.5, 1, 1.5 and 2% with cottonseed cake at 20, 15, 10, 5 and 0% and designated as diet 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5% respectively. Twenty growing Yankasa rams were used for the experiment and randomly allocated to five treatment groups of four animals each in completely randomized designed (CRD). Rams were fed experimental diets and water ad libitum. The result reveals (P<0.05) difference in DOMR and MN. Higher mean values of 0.37, 0.36 and 0.34 kg/d DOMR were recorded in animal fed diet 2, 3 and 5 with the least value 0.22 kg/day recorded in animals fed diet 4. MN production were higher 11.72, 11.65 and 10.81 g/day in animals fed diet 2, 3 and 5 while the least 7.03 g/day in animals fed diet 4. (P<0.05) difference were observed in rumen pH 0 hour before feeding, total volatile fatty acids (TVFA), acetate, propionate, butyrate and rumen NH₃-N 0 hour before and 4 hours after feeding across the diets. NH₃-N was within the optimal levels for microbial activities. Inclusion of urea at graded levels of up to 2% in a complete diet has no detrimental effect on performance, DOMR, MN production and rumen parameters. Diet 3 is therefore recommended for growing Yankasa rams.