Feeding of lemon pulp silage with waste date to sheep: Effects on nutrient digestibility, clinical chemistry and ruminal microbial protein synthesis

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the silage made of lemon pulp with four levels (0, 10, 20 and 30 per cent) of waste date (Phoenix dactylifera L.) on nutrient digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, and ruminal and blood parameters in Kermani sheep. Four rams (BW 54.2±2.87 kg) were used in a 4 x4 change over design experiment with each period consisted of 21 d (16d for adaptation and 5 d for sampling). Fresh lemon pulp and different levels of waste dates (WD) were mixed together and ensiled in 100 L container for 45 d, and the silage was then fed at 20 per cent to rams. Dry matter intake, nutrients digestibility, N retention, urinary allantoin excretion, uric acid, and total purine derivatives were not affected (P>0.05) by experimental treatments. However, microbial nitrogen was significantly increased in lambs fed 30% WD. Total protozoa population (P < 0.01) and Holotrich spp. (P < 0.05) in rumen fluid were increased linearly by increasing the level of WD. The blood creatinine level was significantly higher than control in rams fed silage with the waste date (P