Arabi lamb’s rumen morphological changes in response to different level of treated straw with urea supplement

Abstract

The goal of this study was to use histomorphometry evaluation in combination with treated straw with urea in addition to mixed rations to show the ontogenesis of the rumen in Arabi lambs. This study was conducted in the animal field/ College of Agriculture/ University of Basra to show the effect of using straw treated with urea in different proportions on some anatomical characteristics of rumen of Arabi male lambs. In this study, (16) Arabi male lambs with ages ranging between (3-4 months) and average weight of (23.5 kg) were used. Lambs were randomly distributed into four treatments, with four animals for each treatment. The concentrate feed was mainly barley (55%), wheat bran (43%), vitamins and minerals (1%) and salt (1%). Lambs were fed 3% of their live body weight. The first group was fed 100% concentrate feed, the second group 90% concentrated feed + 10% straw treated by urea, the third group 80% concentrated feed + 20% straw treated by urea, and the fourth group: 70% concentrated feed + 30% straw treated by urea. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) pH was recorded in all the treated groups after 8 h of feeding. Similarly, the brightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness ((b*) of rumen was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in treated groups. The papillary length, width and surface area of rumen were significantly (P < 0.05) high in treated straw supplemented groups. The structural properties of the rumen were enhanced by a diet plan mainly concentrate with the inclusion of treated straw with urea at the level of the indicated procedure