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This study were conducted to determine the effect of different levels of flaxseed, whole and ground (8 and 15%), in late pregnancy on the performance of ewes. 30 Karakul ewes (ages between 2 and 2.5 years old, mean weight of 55±2.5 kg) were used in a completely randomised design with five treatments and six replicates. Treatments include: 1) control diet, a diet without flaxseed; 2) a diet containing 8% whole flaxseed (WFS-L); 3) a diet containing 15% whole flaxseed (WFS-H); 4) a diet containing 8% ground flaxseed (GFS-L); and 5) a diet containing 15% ground flaxseed (GFS-H). The addition of flaxseed (whole and ground) had no significant effect on dry matter intakes or body weight changes in ewes and lambs (P>0.05), but in comparison, crude protein and ether extract digestibility was significantly (P<0.05) higher in ewes fed whole and ground flaxseed compared to those fed the control diet. The yield and composition of colostrum were not affected by experimental treatments (P>0.05), except for colostrum protein, which increased by using treatments with whole flaxseed (P<0.05). Glucose and cholesterol in blood plasma were significantly increased in ewes fed whole and ground flaxseed compared to the control treatment. (P<0.05), and the highest blood glucose and cholesterol levels were observed in the treatment of 15% whole flaxseed. The research showed that whole flaxseed (15%) can be added to sheep's diets, and it can be concluded that processing flaxseed for ewes in late pregnancy might not be necessary to improve performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to identify the nutritive and anti-nutritive composition, in situ rumen degradability, and the kinetics of in vitro gas production of Persian oak (Quercus persica) leaves harvested at three growth stages during the spring season. A tannin bioassay was also performed using polyethylene glycol (PEG 6000) as a tannin-complexing agent in a gas production test. Leaves were harvested in monthly intervals in spring, starting on April when leaves were at the early vegetative stage, and then May and June. As the leaf maturity progressed, crude protein decreased but total phenols, total tannins, and hydrolysable tannins increased. Condensed tannin concentration was not affected by maturity stage (Average=13.0 mg leucocyanidin equivalent/g dry matter (DM)). As leaf maturity increased, the rapidly degradable A fraction of DM increased. In vitro gas production, metabolizable energy, in vitro DM degradability, ruminal NH3-N, and short-chain fatty acid concentrations were greatest in leaves harvested at the early vegetative stage (April) compared with other months. Application of PEG increased in vitro gas production, metabolizable energy, in vitro DM degradability, and NH3-N and short-chain fatty acid production in the rumen fluid compared with no addition of PEG. Overall, oak leaves harvested at the early vegetative stage appeared to be a good source of forage for ruminants. However, as leaf maturity increased, ruminal fermentability de)creased, which was improved with PEG addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It was hypothesized that some of the variations in rumen and cecum fermentation parameters can form a share of individual differences resulting in feed efficiency, which may be altered based on the type of diet. This research aimed to determine the effects of dietary effect and feed efficiency of growing lambs (Kermani lambs) on their rumen and cecum indices and also microbial protein synthesis in gastrointestinal tract. Lambs (n=40; bodyweight (BW)=16±1.5 kg) were fed either a concentrate (CONC; 11.8% crude protein (CP), 18% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), 2.66 Mcal/kg metabolizable energy (ME); n=20) or a foragebased diet (FOR; 15.6% CP, 36.8% NDF, 2.15 Mcal/kg ME; n=20). Individual intake was recorded and residual feed intake (RFI) was determined over 42 days. The 8 highest (Low-RFI) and 8 lowest efficiencies (High RFI) records of lambs from each dietary group were selected (n=16; average BW=20±2.1 kg), and the samples of rumen and cecum fluid, and also urine were collected at the end of the trial. Data were analyzed as a 2 × 2 factorial design with RFI class (high vs. low efficiency), their type of diet (FOR vs. CONC), and their interaction in the defined model. Based on the results, high-efficiency lambs had a higher level (P<0.01) of total volatile fatty acid (VFA), proportional concentrations of acetate, propionate, and ammonia nitrogen in the rumen in comparison to low-efficiency lambs. Higher (P<0.01) amounts of allantoin, xanthine + hypoxanthine, total purine derivative (PD), microbial nitrogen and microbial protein were observed in the high efficiency than low-efficiency lambs. The low efficiency lambs had greater (P<0.01) proportional acetate, cecal pH and cecal ammonia N compared to high-efficiency lambs. The RFI class × diet type interaction was significant (P<0.01) for the majority of parameters of the rumen, cecum, and microbial protein synthesis. The results of this experiment exhibited that hindgut fermentation especially cecum played a key role in the efficiency of feed utilization in lambs which have consumed larger amounts of fermentable substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of edible gelatin coating on the quality characteristics and shelf life of fish finger of Hypophthalmichthys molitrix during refrigerated storage. Fish fingers were immersed in coating solutions of gelatin 4% and then dried, packed and stored in refrigerator (4°C). Chemical (moisture, protein, fat, ash, pH, PV, TBA and TVB-N) and microbial parameters (TVC and PTC) were measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18 and 21 days. According to the obtained results by increasing of storage time moisture and fat content decreased and pH value were significantly increased (P < 0.05). While there was no significant difference between the ash content of control and coated samples (P < 0.05). Peroxide value and thiobarbitoric acid of coated samples were lower than the control. The TVB-N value of control and coated samples were 27.80 and 27.46 mg N/100g of flesh fish in 12 days of storage that higher than acceptable value. The total viable count (TVC) and psychrotrophic count (PTC) of fish fingers were significantly increased (P < 0.05) during refrigerated storage. The results of this research indicate that the gelatin coating reduces the oxidation, but has no effect in reducing the value of microbial count. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]