Effect of level of concentrate feeding and addition of sodium bicarbonate on blood parameters of Awassi lambs

Abstract EN

This study was conducted at Barkat Aby Alfadhl Alabbas station- Holly Abbas shrine- Karbala Province to investigate the effect of feeding two levels of concentrate, 2.

5 and 3% of body weight and addition of sodium bicarbonate at rate of 20 kg/ton on blood parameters.

Ground wheat straw was offered to lambs ad libitum.

Sixteen male Awassi lambs with average weight of 27.

84 kg and 4-6 months of age were randomly distributed into 4 treatments with individual pens, 4 lambs per each.

The study was lasted for 70 days initiated with 14 days as preliminary period.

Results showed that increasing concentrate levels significantly (P<0.

01( increased blood concentration of total protein from 7.

47 to 8.

14 g/100 ml, urea nitrogen from 27.

89 to 35.

43 mg/100 ml and triglycerides from 27.

90 to 30.

70 mg/100 ml.

Concentration of theses parameters were also increased (P<0.

01( due to addition of sodium bicarbonate.

All blood parameters with exception of glucose were affected (P<0.

01( by the interaction between level of concentrate feeding and addition of sodium bicarbonate.