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Effect of oak ( Quercus persica ) acorn level on apparent digestibility, ruminal fermentation, nitrogen balance and urinary purine derivatives in pregnant goats
Author(s) -
Jafari H.,
Fatahnia F.,
Khatibjoo A.,
Taasoli G.,
Fazaeli H.,
Varmaghany S.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of animal physiology and animal nutrition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.651
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1439-0396
pISSN - 0931-2439
DOI - 10.1111/jpn.12913
Subject(s) - dry matter , zoology , population , excretion , chemistry , rumen , propionate , biology , fermentation , food science , biochemistry , medicine , environmental health
Summary The aim of this experiment was to investigate the effect of dietary oak ( Quercus persica ) acorn ( OA ) level on dry matter intake ( DMI ), apparent nutrient digestibility, nitrogen (N) utilization, ruminal fermentation, protozoa population and urinary purine derivatives ( PD ) during the last 60 days of goat pregnancy. Twenty‐four multiparous pregnant goats (41.7 ± 2.3 kg BW ) were assigned to one of three experimental diets consisted of control diet (C, without OA ) and diets containing 20 ( OA 20 ) or 40 g/100 g of OA ( OA 40 ) on a DM basis in a completely randomized block design. Goats fed OA 40 had lower DMI ( p < .01), DM ( p < .01), OM ( p < .01) and NDF ( p < .05) digestibility, ruminal NH 3 ‐N concentration ( p < .01), N intake ( p < .01) and N retention ( p < .01). Crude protein digestibility and ruminal acetate and total volatile fatty acid ( VFA ) concentration were lower in animals fed OA ‐contained diets ( p < .01), whereas ruminal propionate concentration was higher in goats fed the C diet ( p < .01). Animals fed OA 40 had higher faecal N excretion and lower urinary N excretion ( p < .01). Urinary PD was lower in goats fed diets containing OA in relation to those fed the C diet ( p < .01). Total protozoa population decreased linearly with increasing OA level in the diet ( p < .05). These results suggest that feeding OA , especially high level, has negative impacts on DMI , nutrient digestibility, VFA concentration, N retention and urinary PD excretion that may have adverse effects on metabolism and performance of pregnant goats.