INFLUENCE OF DIFFERENT TREATMENTS OF GUAR KORMA MEAL ON SHEEP PERFORMANCE

The present study was conducted to study the effect of heat, soaking, chemical (ethanol) or biological (bacteria) treatments of Guar korma meal (GKM) on concentration of anti-nutritive compounds, rumen fermentation characteristics, microbial counts, degradability of tested TMR\u0027s, the blood picture and the consequently sheep performance was also studied. The total mixed rations (TMR\u0027s) were: 1- TMR without GKM (control); 2- TMR with 10% untreated GKM (TMRU), 3- TMR with 10% heated GKM (TMRH),  4- TMR with 10% soaking GKM (TMRS), 5- TMR with 10% GKM treated with ethanol (TMRE) and 6- TMR with 10% GKM  treated with lactic acid bacteria (TMRB). Digestibility trials were conducted with Barki rams, while rumen fermentation trials were conducted with fistulated Barki ewes. Feeding trials were applied with thirty male growing lambs, whereas they were randomly divided into six similar groups according to their body weights for a feeding period of 120 days, where weight was recorded and blood samples were collected. All treatments, showed a positive effect in decreasing concentration of anti-nutritive compounds. TMRB had highest feeding values, nitrogen utilization, higher VFA\u0027s concentration and higher rates of ammonia-N and VFA\u0027s productions, while, lowest ammonia-N concentration was recorded with TMRH. Total bacteria count was increased with all treatments comparing with TMRU, while protozoa counts were decreased with incorporating untreated or treated GKM in TMR\u0027s comparing with control. Microbial protein was ranged between 54.16 and 100.62 (gm/day) for untreated GKM and LAB treated GKM containing TMR\u0027s with significant differences. Effective degradability \"ED\" (%) of DM were higher (P\u003c 0.05) for TMR\u0027s containing biologically and chemically treated GKM. Highest effective degradability of CP was recorded with TMRB with significant differences with other TMR\u0027s. However, lower effective degradability of CP was recorded with TMR\u0027s containing GKMH and GKMU. Highest daily gain was recorded with LAB treated GKM containing TMR. The lowest daily gain was recorded by sheep fed ration contained untreated GKM. The economic cash return (L.E/head/d) was more profit for ration contained GKMB and GKME than other total mixed rations. Except for cholesterol, total protein, albumin, globulin and their ratio the other serum metabolites of the experimental lambs were not significantly influenced by the dietary treatments. It could be concluded that the lactic acid bacteria treated GKM could be used at 10% in TMR for sheep. Chemically treated GKM by ethanol could be also used at 10% without any adverse effects on sheep performance.  However, it is important to carry out further research on long term feeding of sheep to follow metabolites compounds consequential in blood, milk and meat.