The effects of replacement of forage source with date palm leaves based on undigested neutral detergent fiber on performance of feedlot lambs

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

2 Department of Animal Science, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

3 Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to assess the substitution of different levels of date palm leaves for conventional forages sources based on undigested forage neutral detergent fibers within 24 hours (24 uNDF) in of feedlot lambs. 24 male Afshari lambs (With average age of 3 to 4 months and body weight 33±3 kg) were assigned to 3 experimental treatments: 1) Diet containing alfalfa hay and wheat straw with no date palm leaves, 2) 50% substitution of the forages with date palm leaves, and 3) 100% substitution of the forages with date palm leaves. The results showed that the NDF degradability at 24 and 288 h of ruminal incubation of date palm leaves was lower than that of wheat straw and alfalfa hay. Eating time, rumination time, and total chewing time were unaffected by the treatments. Feeding date palm leaves did not change DM digestibility, but decreased linearly fiber digestibility with the increase the level of date palm leaves. Moreover, rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen and blood metabolites were not affected by the treatments. The results showed that feed intake, daily weight gain and final weight were similar among the treatments. However, feed conversion ratio tended to decrease with the increasing the level of date palm leaves in the diet. Overall, Due to the dry climate of the southern regions of the country and the lack of forage or forage plants, concentrate and date palm branches can be used as the only source of forage in the diet of fattening livestock.

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Iranian Journal of animal Science

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 26 August 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 26 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 28 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 06 August 2025

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