Effect of Free-Choice Provision of Alfalfa, Prangos ferulacea and Concentrate on Digestibility and Feeding Behavior of Arab Male Lambs

Document Type : Research Articles

Authors

1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources University of Khuzestan, Mollasani, Ahvaz, Iran.

2 Department of Animal Science, Torbat Jam Higher education Complex, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction Ruminants require roughage in their diets to maximize production and to maintain health by sustaining a stable environment in the rumen. There is a need to identify local plants that can offer high quality forage to local ruminants. P. ferulacea (family: Umbelliferae) is a valuable forage grass found in high mountain areas of South-east Iran. Local farmers cut and wilt the plant, prior to feeding it to sheep.
Sheep are selective and spend a lot of time selecting and sorting feed materials. Domestic livestock are herbivores that evolved to eat a wide array of vegetal species and typically select a diverse diet even when their nutritional requirements can be met by ingesting a single feed. A free-choice feeding method partially mimics nature and facilitates selection based on nutrient requirements that fluctuate along with feed quality and availability. Also, this method requires less use of manpower and equipment.
The information available regarding the effects of ad libitum supply of concentrate and the possibility of free-choice provision of forage in lambs is very limited. Also, limited data is available concerning nutritional behaviors of lambs fed high-concentrate diets, and this information is even more limited in terms of providing feed-choice. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of free-choice provision of two forage sources including alfalfa and P. ferulacea in addition to concentrate on digestibility and behavior of Arabian lambs.
Materials and method A total of 18 male lambs of Arabic breed with an average of 90 ± 8 (SD) days of age and body weight of 19 ± 3 (SD) kg were used in the study in a completely randomized design for 45 days. Lambs were housed individually in pens (1.3 m×1.5 m) in an open shed building. Cages were separated by a metal fence with a bar design that allowed contact between animals. The animals were randomly assigned to one of the three experimental diets including free choice between; 1- alfalfa hay and concentrate, 2- P. ferulacea and concentrate, and 3- alfalfa, P. ferulacea and concentrate. The lambs were fed the total mixed rations ad libitum once daily at 0800 h and had free access to fresh water at all times.
Essential oils of P. ferulacea were identified using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Samples taken for DM and chemical analysis were oven-dried at 55 °C for 48 h and then ground to pass through a 1- mm screen. Chemical analyses were performed in duplicate. Feed offered and refusal of each lamb were recorded daily. Digestibility was measured by total collection of feces during a 5-d period. The behavior of lambs was recorded with nine video cameras that were connected to a digital video recorder. Video recordings continuously observed visually for each lamb over a 48-h period. Recorded activities were registered together with their beginning and ending times. Data for each activity are reported as the total time, expressed in minutes, in which the lamb maintained this specific activity. Chewing behavior was divided into eating and ruminating.
Intake and digestibility data were analyzed using a GLM procedure of SAS 9.2. Multiple mean comparison were carried out using Tukey's test. Animal behavior from video recordings was analyzed using a GLIMMIX procedure of SAS. Comparison. For the different statistical tests, significance was declared at P<0.05.
Results and Discussion The compounds of α-bisabolol, β-Pinene, α-Pinene and δ-3-carene had the highest amounts among P. ferulacea essential oils. Free-choice provision of two forages increased dry matter intake and the proportion of consumed forage compared to other treatments. Forbes and Provenza (22) reported that in free-choice provision between forage and concentrate, ruminants allocate about 20% of the dry matter intake to forage. This finding is in an agreement with observed ratio of forage consumption in treatments with one forage source but is less than the observed value in the treatment with free access to two forages (36.2%). Among the mechanisms that may be involved in this increase is the greater diversity of forages that act as a stimulus for its consumption. Lambs consumed P. ferulacea as the only forage source showed higher digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, NDF and ADF compared to other treatments. Low lignin content of P. ferulacea compared to alfalfa is one of the main reasons for its higher digestibility. Lambs receiving P. ferulacea as the only source of forage had the lowest time spent eating per day compared to the other treatments. When animals were given a choice between alfalfa and P. ferulacea, the time spent eating increased significantly compared to P. ferulacea alone. Lambs that had access to two sources of forage had the lowest feeding time per gram of NDF and ADF compared to other treatments. This decrease could be due to the higher consumption of dry matter as well as NDF and ADF in this treatment compared to other treatments. Lambs that had access to two forage sources spent more time ruminating compared to the alfalfa recipient treatment. The highest duration of rumination per gram of NDF and ADF was observed in P. ferulacea treatment as the only source of forage. It has been shown that the chewing per gram of forage NDF is higher in animals with lower NDF intake (4). In this regard, Grant (24) suggested that there is an adaptive mechanism when consuming low-forage diets by increasing chewing per gram of forage NDF. Non-nutritional behaviors including self grooming, licking and biting fixed objects and laying time were not affected by treatments.
Conclusion Providing two forage sources instead of one source, led to an increase in dry matter intake. The higher digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, NDF and ADF in the treatment of P. ferulacea compared to alfalfa indicates the high nutritional value of this forage. Due to the limited information available on free concentrate supply and the lack of examination of rumen and liver health indicators in the present study, any practical conclusion regarding ad libitum concentrate intake requires further research.

Keywords

Main Subjects


  1. Adams, R. P. (2007). Identification of Essential Oils Components by Gas Chromatography/Quadrupole Mass Allured Publishing Corporation:Carol Stream, P, 804.
  2. Akhgar, M. (2011). Composition of essential oils of fruits and leaves of Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl. growing wild in Iran. Trends in Modern Chemistry, 1, 1-4.
  3. Aldemir, R., Tuğba Bingöl, N., Akif Karsli, M., & Akça, I. (2015). Determination of nutrient content and digestibility characteristics of prangos ferulacea on grazing lands of Eastern Anatolia. Turkish Journal of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, 39, 181-185. DOI: 3906/vet-1401-26.
  4. Allen, M. (1997). Relationship between fermentation acid production in the rumen and the requirement for physically fiber. Journal of Dairy Science, 80, 1447–1462. DOI: S0022-0302(97)76074-0.
  5. Allen, M. S. (2000). Effects of diet on short-term regulation of feed intake by lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 83, 1598–1624. DOI: S0022-0302(00)75030-2
  6. Amiri, H. (2007). Essential oil variation of Prangos ferulacea Lindl in different stage of plant growth. Iranian Journal of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, 23(1), 121-127. (In Persian)
  7. AOAC (2005). Official Methods of Analysis. 18th ed. AOAC International, Gaithersburg, MD.
  8. Azarfard, F. (2008). Effect of Prangos ferulacea replacement for alfalfa on growth performance and carcass characteristics of Lori lambs. International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 10(2), 224-226.
  9. Baumont, R., Prache, S., Meuret, M., & Morand-Fehr, P. (2000). How forage characteristics influence behavior and intake in small rumiants: A review. Livestock Production Science, 64,15-28. DOI: 1016/S0301-6226(00)00172-X.
  10. Calsamiglia, S., Busquet, M., Cardozo, P. W., Castillejos, L., & Ferret, A. (2007). Invited review: essential oils as modifiers of rumen microbial fermentation. Journal of Dairy Science, 90, 2580-2595. DOI: 3168/jds.2006-644
  11. Cardozo, P. W., Calsamiglia, S., Ferret, A., & Kamel, C. (2006). Effects of alfalfa extract, anise, capsicum, and a mixture of cinnamaldehyde and eugenol on ruminal fermentation and protein degradation in beef heifers fed a high-concentrate diet. Journal of Animal Science, 84, 2801–2808. DOI: 2527/jas.2005-593.
  12. Castillo-Lopez, E., Rivera-Chacon, R., Ricci, S., Petri, R. M., Reisinger, N., & Zebeli, Q. (2021). Short-term screening of multiple phytogenic compounds for their potential to modulate chewing behavior, ruminal fermentation profile, and pH in cattle fed grain-rich diets. Journal of Dairy Science, 104, 4271-4289. DOI: 3168/jds.2020-19521.
  13. Catanese, F., Obelar, M., Villalba, J. J., & Distel, R. A. (2013). The importance of diet choice on stress-related responses by lambs. Applied Animal Behavior Science, 148(1-2), 37-45. DOI: 1016/j.applanim.2013.07.005.
  14. Charles, E. K. R., Jonas, E., & Chaves, A. V. (2012). Diet preference of lambs offered a choice of concentrate diets containing different proportions of wheat dried distiller's grain with solubles. Small Ruminant Research, 108(1-3), 67-72. DOI: 1016/j.smallrumres.2012.07.001.
  15. Coruh, N., Celep, A. G. S., & Ozgokce, F. (2007). Antioxidant properties of prangos ferulacea, chaerophyllum macropodum boiss and heracleum persicum desf from apiaceae family used as food in Eastern Anatolia and their inhibitory effects on glutathione-S-transferase. Food Chemistry, 100(3), 1237-1242. DOI: 1016/j.foodchem.2005.12.006.
  16. Coskun, B., Gulsen, N., & Umucalilar, H. D. (2004). The nutritive value of Prangos ferulacea. Grass Forage Science, 59(1), 15-19.
  17. Davis, J. D., & Smith, P. G. (1988). Analysis of lick measures the positive and negative feedback effects of carbohydrates on eating. Appetite. 11, 229-238. DOI: 1016/s0195-6663(88)80005-9.
  18. Dorman, H. J. D., & Deans, S. G. (2000). Antimicrobial agents from plants: Antimicrobial activity of plant volatile oils. Journal of Applied Microbiology, 88, 308-316. DOI: 1046/j.1365-2672.2000.00969.x.
  19. Do Thi, T., Inger, L., & Nguyen, T. M. (2002). Feed intake and behavior of kids and young sheep fed sugar cane as the sole roughage with or without concentrate. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 100, 79-91. DOI:1016/S0377-8401(02)00067-6.
  20. EbnAli, A., Khorvash, M., Ghorbani, G. R., Mahdavi, A. H., Malekkhahi, M., Mirzaei, M., Pezeshki, A., & Ghaffari, M. H. (2016). Effects of forage offering method on performance, rumen fermentation, nutrient digestibility and nutritional behaviour in Holstein dairy calves. Journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition100(5), 820-827. DOI: 1111/jpn.12442.
  21. Eilami, B. (2008). Substitution of alfalfa hay with prangos ferulacea in the fattening diet of gray shirazy sheep. Pajouhesh-Va-Sazandegi, 79, 52-57. (In Persian)
  22. El-Essawy, A. M., Anele, U. Y., Abdel-Wahed, A. M., Abdou, A. R., & Khattab, I. M. (2021). Effects of anise, clove and thyme essential oils supplementation on rumen fermentation, blood metabolites, milk yield and milk composition in lactating goats. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 271, 114760. DOI: 1016/j.anifeedsci.2020.114760.
  23. Forbes, M., & Provenza, F. D. (2000). Integration of learning and metabolic signals into a theory of dietary choice and food intake. In Ruminant physiology: digestion, metabolism, growth and reproduction (ed. PB Cronje´), pages 3-19. CABI Publishing, Wallingford, UK. DOI :10.1079/9780851994635.0003.
  24. Forbes, J. M. (2007). Voluntary food intake and diet selection in farm animals. CABI international. Wallingford, UK. 2th Page 171. DOI: 10.1079/9781845932794.0001.
  25. Grant, R. J. (1997). Interactions among forages and no forage fiber sources. Journal of Dairy Science, 80, 1438-1446. DOI: 3168/jds.S0022-0302(97)76073-9.
  26. Hojjati, M., Omidi-mirzaei, M., & Kiarsi, Z. (2020). Evaluation of chemical constituents and antioxidant and antimicrobial properties of the essential oils of two citrus species. Journal of food science and technology (Iran), 17(100), 127-138. (In Persian)
  27. Huhtanen, P., Ramin, M., & Cabezas-Garcia, E. H. (2016). Effects of ruminal digesta retention time on methane emissions: a modelling approach. Animal Production Science56(3), 501-506. DOI: 1071/AN15507.
  28. Iraira, S. P., De La Torre, J. R., Rodríguez-Prado, M., Manteca, X., Calsamiglia, S., & Ferret, A. (2012). Effect of feeding method on intake and behaviour of individually reared beef heifers fed a concentrate diet from 115 to 185 kg of body weight. Animal, 6(9), 1483-1490. DOI: 1017/S1751731112000390.
  29. Iraira, , Madruga, A., Juan, M. P., de la Torre, J. L. R., Prado, M. R., Calsamiglia, S., Vilanova, X. M., & i Quesada, A. F. (2015). Performance, behaviour and meat quality of beef heifers fed concentrate and straw offered as total mixed ration or free-choice. Spanish journal of agricultural research, 13(4), 18. DOI:10.5424/sjar/2015134-8003.
  30. Johnston, C., & DeVries, T. J. (2015) Associations of behavior and production in lactating dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 2, 450–451. DOI: 3168/jds.2017-13743.
  31. Karamnejad, K., Sari, M., Salari, S., & Chaji, M. (2019). Effects of nitrogen source on the performance and feeding behavior of lambs fed a high concentrate diet containing pomegranate peel. Small Ruminant Research, 173, 9-16. DOI: 1016/j.smallrumres.2019.02.004.
  32. Keskin, M., Şahin, A., Biçer, O., & Gül, S. (2004). Comparison of the behavior of Awassi lambs in cafeteria feeding system with single diet feeding system. Animal Behavior Science, 85, 57–64. DOI: 1016/j.applanim.2003.09.002.
  33. Makkar, H. P., Blümmel, M., Borowy, N. K., & Becker, K. (1993). Gravimetric determination of tannins and their correlations with chemical and protein precipitation methods. Journal of the Science of Food and Agricalture, 61(2), 161-165. DOI: 1002/jsfa.2740610205.
  34. Makkar, H. P. (2000). Quantification of Tannins in Tree Foliage. FAO/IAEA, Vienna, 26 pp. Laboratory manual.
  35. Cabiddu, A., Molle, G., Decandia, M., Spada, S., Fiori, M., Piredda, G., & Addis, M. (2009). Responses to condensed tannins of flowering sulla (Hedysarum coronarium L.) grazed by dairy sheep Part 1: Effects on feeding behaviour, intake, diet digestibility and performance. Livestock Science, 123, 138-146. DOI: 1016/j.livsci.2008.11.018.
  36. Moya, D., Mazzenga, A., Holtshausen, L., Cozzi, G., González, L. A., Calsamiglia, S., Gibb, D. G., McAllister, T. A., Beauchemin, K. A., & Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K. (2011). Feeding behavior and ruminal acidosis in beef cattle offered a total mixed ration or dietary components separately. Journal of Animal Science, 89, 520–530. DOI: 2527/jas.2010-3045.
  37. Moya, D., Holtshausen, L., Marti, S., Gibb, D. G., McAllister, T. A., Beauchemin, K. A., & Schwartzkopf-Genswein, K. (2014). Feeding behavior and ruminal pH of corn silage, barley grain, and corn dried distillers' grain offered in a total mixed ration or in a free-choice diet to beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science, 92(8), 3526-3536. DOI: 2527/jas.2013-7224.
  38. Oh, H. K., Jones, M. B., & Longhurst, W. M. (1968). Comparison of rumen microbial inhibition resulting from various essential oils isolated from relatively unpalatable plant species. Applied Microbiology, 16, 39–44. DOI: 1128/am.16.1.39-44.1968.
  39. Patra, A. , Geiger, S., Braun, H. S., & Aschenbach, J. R. (2019). Dietary supplementation of menthol-rich bioactive lipid compounds alters circadian eating behaviour of sheep. BMC veterinary research15(1), 1-10. DOI: 10.1186/s12917-019-2109-0.
  40. Provenza, F. D. (1996). Acquired aversions as the basis for varied diets of ruminants foraging on rangelands. Journal of Animal Science, 74(8), 2010-2020. DOI: 1186/s12917-019-2109-0.
  41. Queiroz, A. C., Neves, J. S., Miranda, L. F., Pereira, E. S., Pereira, J. C., & Dutra, A.R. (2001). Effect of fiber level and protein source on live weight gain of crossbred Holstein–Zebu heifers. Brazilian journal of veterinary and animal science, 53(1), 84-88. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2527/1996.7482010x.
  42. Razavi, S. M., Nazemiyeh, H., Zarrini, G., Asna-asharii, S., & Dehghan, G. (2010). Chemical Composition and Antimicrobial Activity of Essential Oil of Prangos ferulacea (L.) Lindl from Iran. Natural Product Research, 24, 530-533. DOI: 1080/14786410802379539.
  43. Razavi, S. M. (2012). Chemical composition and some allelopathic aspects of essential oils of (Prangos ferulacea.) at different stages of growth. Journal of Agricultural Science and Technology. 14(2), 56-349.
  44. Redoy, M. R. A., Shuvo, A. A. S., Cheng, L., & Al-Mamun, M. (2020). Effect of herbal supplementation on growth, immunity, rumen histology, serum antioxidants and meat quality of sheep. Animal, 14(11), 2433-2441. DOI: 1017/S1751731120001196.
  45. Ridge, E. E., Foster, M. J., & Daigle, C. L. (2020). Effect of diet on non-nutritive oral behavior performance in cattle: a systematic review. Livestock Science, 238, 104063. DOI: 1016/j.livsci.2020.104063.
  46. Rolls, B. J., (1986). Sensory-specific satiety. Nutrition Reviews, 44, 93–101.
  47. Sari, M., Ferret, A., & Calsamiglia, S. (2015). Effect of pH on in vitro microbial fermentation and nutrient flow in diets containing barley straw or non-forage fiber sources. Animal Feed Science and Technology200, 17-24. DOI: 1016/j.anifeedsci.2014.11.011.
  48. SAS (2003). SAS User’s Guide. Version 9.1. SAS Institute Inc. Cary, NC, USA.
  49. Tassoul, M. D., & Shaver, R. D. (2009). Effect of a mixture of supplemental dietary plant essential oils on performance of peri-parturient and early lactation dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science, 92, 1734–1740. DOI: 3168/jds.2008-1760.
  50. Van Soest, P. V., Robertson, J. B., & Lewis, B. A. (1991). Methods of dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber, and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. Journal of Dairy Science, 74, 3583-3597. DOI: 3168/jds.S0022-0302(91)78551-2.
  51. Villalba, J. J., Bach, A., & Ipharraguerre, I. R. (2011). Feeding behavior and performance of lambs are influenced by flavor diversity. Journal of Animal Science, 89, 2571- 2581. DOI: 2527/jas.2010-3435.
CAPTCHA Image
Volume 14, Issue 4 - Serial Number 52
December 2023
Pages 505-518
  • Receive Date: 22 September 2021
  • Revise Date: 07 February 2022
  • Accept Date: 14 February 2022
  • First Publish Date: 14 February 2022