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This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplying two levels of Acacia nilotica (A. nilotica) pods to rations of sheep on nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance and rumen liquor parameters (pH, total protozoa count, protein concentration and enzymes activity). Twelve mature rams (50 ± 1.25 kg B.W.) were distributed into three groups, each with four rams. Animals in group one were considered as a control which fed a basal diet, consisting of concentrate mixture and Egyptian clover. The second group and the third one received the same basal diet with supplying the concentrate mixture by 1.5% and 3.0% of A. nilotica pods meal respectively. The experiment lasted for 3 weeks. It was found that supplementation of A. nilotica pods to the concentrate mixture at a rate of 1.5% and 3.0% significantly improved the total feed intake compared to the control. The digestibility of dry matter and crude fibre was significantly reduced with A. nilotica supplements, whereas the digestibility of crude protein was significantly improved. All of nitrogen intake and N-retained were significantly increased in rams fed on concentrates with 1.5% and 3.0% A.  nilotica pods when compared to the control. The pH of ruminal fluid was not affected by the dietary treatments. Nevertheless, the total rumen protozoa count was significantly decreased in A. nilotica pods supplemented groups. Also, the rumen protein concentration and the ruminal enzymes activity, especially α-amylase, cellulase and protease, were lower in A. nilotica pods supplemented treatments. In conclusions, inclusion of low levels of A. nilotica pods (1.5% and 3.0%) in the concentrates can be used as a natural protein protectant in ruminants by forming tannin protein complexes in the rumen to maximize the amino acids available in the lower digestive tract. Also, these levels can increase the protein digestibility as well as the N-retained in the body ., (© 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.) more...

Background and Objective: Olive by-products could be a suitable alternative feedstuffs ingredient in ruminants rations. This study was carried out to evaluate effects of replacing clover hay by olive cake with or without addition of poly ethylene glycol in growing lambs ration., Methodology: Thirty five Barki lambs averaged 34 kg body weight and 5 months old were divided into 5 groups (7 animals of each) according to live weight for 90 days feeding trial. Olive cake was treated mechanically by hummer mill, screened to produce screening olive cake (treated olive cake, TOC)., Results: Data of dry matter and organic matter digestibility were decreased with ration containing 20% TOC from ration or 67% from clover hay comparing with others. No significant differences were observed among groups in crude protein digestibility. Total digestible nutrients (TDN) as an energy measurement for the experimental rations cleared that replacing process of clover hay by TOC up to 20% of DM intake or 67% of clover hay, given lower values (65.32 and 66.80%). The rumen pH values were not affected by the different experimental rations including control. The highest rumen NH3 was recorded with lambs fed ration containing 33% TOC without PEG instead of clover hay, while the lowest values was recorded with that group fed ration containing 33% TOC with PEG. No significant differences were detected in total gain, ADG as well as feed efficiency among the experimental rations. Dry matter intake slightly increased with feeding growing lambs on TOC containing rations except R5 compared to the control group., Conclusion: Summing up partially de-stoned olive cake by screening could be used in replacing clover hay for growing lamb rations, at inclusion levels up to 33 and 67% with or without poly ethylene glycol, with no adverse on performance of growing lambs. more...

Special procedures were developed to investigate poisonous milk of lactating goats fed experimentally on aerial parts of the herb Euphorbia peplus L. In extracts of the milk, weakly irritant in the mouse-ear assay, three diterpene ester toxins were detected by techniques of high-performance liquid chromatography. They are of the ingenane structural type: Euphorbia factor Pel (ingenol 20-acetate 3-angelate), Euphorbia factor Pe2 (20-deoxyingenol 3-angelate) and Euphorbia factor Pe4 (20-deoxyingenol-6alpha,7alpha-epoxide 3-angelate). From goats milk collected 15 days after cessation of the experimental feeding period, extracts were completely free of diterpene ester toxins. The toxins polluting the milk are identical to diterpene ester entities occurring in the aerial parts of E. peplus. Of these, Euphorbia factors Pel and Pe2 are known as promoters of tumors of mouse skin. Apart from the toxic Euphorbia factors, the non-toxic parent alcohol ingenol was also detected in the milk. It is absent in the plant, and may have been generated metabolically from a certain portion of the toxic diterpene esters picked up by the goats from their fodder. The results presented here provide, for the first time, data for a novel interpretation of the locally high incidence of esophageal cancer observed in certain areas in the Caspian littoral of Iran, associated with a greater consumption of goat's (and sheep's) milk. more...

The hypothesis was proposed that there is a risk of dietary cancer from conditional cancerogens in produce of livestock polluted with irritants of the diterpene ester type, picked up by feeding on species of Euphorbiaceae (spurge). To challenge this, several herbaceous plants of the genus Euphorbia, widespread as weeds and contaminants of livestock fodder, were identified botanically and extracts of their aerial parts were tested for irritancy on the mouse ear. As compared to a standard probe of croton oil, the extracts of E. peplus, E. nubica and E. helioscopia displayed irritancy. The most active extract (that from E. peplus) was investigated by a fractionation procedure monitored by the mouse ear assay, and five molecularly uniform irritant Euphorbia factors Pe1-Pe5 were identified as diterpene ester-type toxins. Together these factors comprise at least 11 ppm in the aerial parts. They were characterized individually to carry the diterpene parent alcohols ingenol, 20-deoxyingenol, and 20-deoxyingenol-6 alpha, 7alpha-epoxide. The irritancy of the aerial plant parts was shown to be caused mainly by the Euphorbia factors Pe1 and Pe2 together. Upon chronic administration of these irritants and hyperplasiogens as principal cancerogenic risk factors in the mouse skin initiation/promotion bioassay, Pe1 and Pe2 were established as tumor promoters. These findings together support the initial hypothesis and suggest the need for further investigations to determine whether there is a consequent risk of dietary cancer. more...