This study was performed to evaluate the effect of adding a mixture of peppermint, thyme and rosemary essential oils (EOs) in a ratio of (3:1:2), respectively, to the Diet, on growth performance, rumen and blood parameters of fattening lambs. Twenty-one Mehraban lambs with an average weight of 29.80 kg were randomly allocated to one of three Diets: 1) control, 2) base Diet+1.25ml of EOs and 3) base Diet+2.5ml of EOs. Daily weight gain was greater in the groups receiving the EOs than in the control, although this increase was mainly due to the interactions of treatment over time. Feed consumption and feed conversion ratio compared to the control did not altered. The total concentrations of VFAs and acetate in the groups receiving EOs decreased (P<0.05), while the concentration of propionate increased (P<0.05) at the level of 2.5ml of EOs and isovalerate increased (P<0.05) in both levels of EOs compared to the control. Total population of protozoa, rumen pH and ammonia nitrogen concentration were not affected by treatments. Glucose concentration increased at high level of EOs (P<0.05). Concentrations of urea, cholesterol, triglycerides, creatinine, total protein and albumin did not altered. The number of red blood cells, hemoglobin, hematocrit, number and percentage of white cells including lymphocytes and eosinophils were not affected by treatments but the percentage of monocytes decreased (P<0.05) at low level of the EOs. The results of this experiment showed that the addition of mixture of EOs to the Diet did not have a significant effect on performance parameters and immune system of lambs, although it reduced the total concentration of VFA and acetate and increased the concentration of propionate.

The study objective was to evaluate the effects of reducing Dietary starch content in fresh cow Diets while maintaining NDF levels by substituting barley grain (BG), corn silage (CS), or both with beet pulp (BP) on DMI, lactation performance, serum mineral and metabolites concentrations, liver enzymes and liver functionality index (LFI), serum insulin and revised quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (RQUICKI). Thirty-six multiparous cows were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 experimental Diets from calving to 21 days in lactation. Experimental Diets were a high-starch Diet with ground BG (CO; 24.9% starch; 0% BP) and 3 low-starch Diets where BP substituted for either BG (BB; 19.6% starch; 7% BP), CS (BC; 20.6% starch; 12% BP) or CS and BG (BCB; 20.3% starch; 12% BP). Relative to CO cows (16.50 kg/d), DMI was greater for BC (17.70 kg/d) and BCB (17.50 kg/d) cows, but it was lesser in BB (15.60 kg/d) cows. Similar to DMI results, milk yields tended to be greater for BC (37.89 kg/d) and BCB cows (37.81 kg/d) compared to CO cows (35.41 kg/d), but BB cows (33.05 kg/d) tended to produce less milk than CO cows. Relative to CO, cows fed BB had lower serum glucose concentrations, whereas cows fed BC and BCB had higher serum glucose. Serum insulin concentrations were lower for BB cows than for other exprimental groups. Relative to CO, serum NEFA and BHB concentrations were lower for BC and BCB, but was similar between BB and CO. The RQUICKI was lower for CO, BC cows than BB cows, and cows in BCB tended to have less RQUICKI compared to BB during postpartum. The concentrations of gamma glutamyl transferase were lower in BC and BCB cows relative to CO and BB cows. The cows fed CO and BB had higher serum bilirubin relative to cows fed BC and BCB Diets. Although, LFI for CO cows was similar to cows on BB, BC and BCB, BC cows had higher LFI than BB cows and tended to have greater LFI than CO cows. Overall, reducing Dietary starch by replacing CS (BC) or a mix of CS and BG (BCB) with BP positively affected DMI and milk yield and indicated improved energy metabolism and liver function during the first 21 d of lactation compared to when BP was fed instead of BG to reduce starch (BB).

In this study, chemical compositions of black seed meals samples were determined. 18 male weaning Zandi lambs with an average body weight of 23.5 ±1.5 kg were used in a completely randomized design in three groups of six in individual pens. Experimental treatments were: 1) control (basal Diet with 12% soybean meal and without black seed meal), 2) Diet containing 6% soybean meal and 9% black seed meal and 3) Diet containing 18% black seed meal and without soybean meal. The concentration of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, NDF, ADF, ADIN, and crude ash of black seed meal samples were 97.53±0.58, 31.26±0.99, 15.16 ± 0.61, 25.95 ± 1.34, 14.2±0.80, 0.69±0.04 and 5.07 ± 0.24, respectively. Replacement of soybean meal with black seed meal in the Diet of experimental lambs had no effect on final body weight, daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, dry matter intake, dressing percentage, tail and total body fat deposition. Albumin and total protein were higher for lambs fed by Diet containing 18 % black seed meal compared to other treatments (P <0.05). However, the concentration of blood triglyceride, cholesterol and urea nitrogen were not differed between experimental groups. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude fat and protein were not affect by feeding of experimental Diets. It seems that black seed meal can be used in the Diet of fattening lambs up to 18% without adverse effect on performance and nutrients digestibility of growing lambs.

In this experiment, the effect of garlic (GP) and tomato (TP) powders on performance, blood parameters, sex differentiation and hatchability of Ross-308 broiler breeders were examined and compared with In-Ovo injection of garlic or tomato hydroalcoholic extracts. In first experiment, 375 hens and 25 roosters (47 wk.) were randomly allocated to 5 treatments and 5 replicates, for 4 weeks. Treatments included: 1) basal Diet (control), 2 and 3) basal Diet+ 2 and 4 percent of GP, and 4 and 5) basal Diet + 2 and 4 percent of TP, respectively. In second experiment, 200 hens and 20 roosters were randomly allocated to 2 treatments including 1) basal Diet and 2) basal Diet + 4% of TP (selected treatment of the Exp. 1) in 5 replications from 52-56 wk. During incubation period, experimental treatments included: 1) control group, 2) eggs from hens fed 4% TP, 3) In-Ovo injection of physiological serum and 4 and 5) In-Ovo injection of 0.1 and 0.3 ml of garlic and tomato hydroalcoholic extracts. The results of first experiment, adding garlic and tomato powders was not significant on egg qualitative traits and blood parameters (P>0.05). All In-Ovo injection treatments increased fertility percentage (P<0.05). The second experiment results showed that treatments had no significant effect on the percent of males and females (P>0.05). In general, addition of 4 percent tomato powder to broiler breeders in comparison to In-Ovo injection of hydroalcoholic extracts of garlic and tomato, did not increase male 1-d-old chicks’ percentage of hatched chicks.