2024/11/29 by Mirzaei Aghjehgheshlagh, F., Rahmani, H., Navidshad, B. +1
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · #Agricultural Systems and Practices #Livestock Management and Performance Improvement #Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology #blood parameters #immune system #lamb #medicinal plant #organic acid
paper · doi:10.71798/ijas.2025.1224081
openalex publication_date 2024/11/29 · openalex created_date 2025/11/12 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/01
This study was performed to investigate the effect of medicinal plants and organic acid on growth perform-ance, blood parameters, immune system, carcass characteristics and nutrient digestibility in Moghani lambs. For this, 30 Moghani male lambs (28±2 kg average weight) were used in 6 treatments and 5 replications as a completely randomized design in factorial (2*3*3). experimental treatments include: basic diet (control), basic diet + 2 g organic acid, basic diet + 2% medicinal plants mix, basic diet + 4% medicinal plants mix, basic diet + 2% medicinal plants mix + 2 g organic acid, and basic diet + 4% medicinal plants mix + 2 g organic acid. The results showed that the main effect of organic acid and medicinal plants and the interac-tion between them on dry matter intake, feed conversion ratio and carcass characteristics were not signifi-cant. The daily weight gain was higher in the group receiving 2 g of organic acid than the 0 g and it was higher in the group receiving 2 and 4% of the medicinal plants mix than the group receiving 0%. The groups receiving 2 and 4% medicinal plants mix had the lowest blood cholesterol, triglycerides, and urea. The serum total protein increased compared to group receiving 0%. The groups receiving 4% medicinal plants mix + 2 g organic acid had the highest level of total antioxidant activity and the lowest concentration of malondialdehyde. The activity of superoxide dismutase enzyme was improved by receiving of 2% me-dicinal plants mix + 2 g organic acid. The apparent digestibility of nutrients was improved by receiving 4% medicinal plants mix + 2 g organic acid.