supplementary feeding

Large parts of Iran have a dry and semi-arid climate, which is why opportunities for fodder production in the country are limited. Providing feed from agricultural by-products, including potato vines, can be considered a suitable option to compensate for the limitations of traditional feed (e.g. alfalfa). Ardabil province has about 15-20% of the country's potato cultivation area, and with the annual production of about 800 thousand tons of potato tubers, it ranks second in the country. Therefore, there is great potential in this province to produce by-products related to potatoes. The present study was conducted to investigate the possibility and effect of replacing potato vines with regular forage in the diet of pregnant sheep (during the last 45 days of pregnancy).

In the first step of this research, the chemical compositions of alfalfa hay and potato vine including dry matter, organic matter, ash, crude protein, crude fat, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were determined. In the next phase, 210 pregnant Moghani sheep were randomly assigned to seven treatments with three replicates and 10 sheep per replicate. In addition to the control treatment (pasture feeding), six treatments with different levels of potato vine (zero, 16, and 32%) were used in two food forms, mash and complete block. The mentioned diets were given to the animals in the last 45 days of pregnancy in the amount of 500 grams during the night feeding time. It should be noted that lactating ewes were not subjected to any treatment after lambing and the effect of an additional feeding period on milk production was examined after three months of lambing.

According to the results obtained, the percentage of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, gross energy, and ADF in potato vine was not significantly different from alfalfa feed, but the NDF percentage in potato vine was lower than alfalfa and its ash content was more than alfalfa (P<0.05). No significant difference was observed in the amount of dry matter digestibility (DMD) and dry organic matter digestibility (DOMD) between the potato vine and alfalfa hay. Ewe weight gain during the supplementary feeding period was influenced by different treatments (P<0.05). A similar pattern was observed for other traits such as ewe weight after lambing, birth weight of lambs, weight gain before weaning, and, weaning weight of lambs. In the current study, the examined traits in sheep that were fed with complete block showed better performance compared to sheep fed with mash. In this feeding method, animals are not able to choose due to the uniform composition of food, which leads to a uniform effect on the rumen and thus reduces the fluctuation in ammonia release for more efficient use of non-protein nitrogen. Complete block feeding is an efficient method to increase voluntary feed intake in ruminants. It also improves nutrient utilization by stabilizing fermentation in the rumen. The increase in birth and weaning weight in lambs whose mothers were fed complete block diets showed that the use of supplementary feeding in the last weeks of gestation of ewes, when carried out appropriately, leads to improvement in fetal growth and proper development of the mammary gland, and increase in birth weight of the lamb and milk production. The different treatments have a significant impact on the amount of milk production so that the average daily milk production throughout the lactation period was lowest in the control treatment (without using any nutritional supplements) and highest in the block feeding treatment at 16% Potato vine. The results showed that using the complete block produced a higher profit compared to the mash.

Based on the results of the present research, the use of 16% potato vine as a replacement for part of the usual fodder in the form of a complete feed block resulted in profitability in the nomadic sheep farming system. Given the cheap price and availability compared to alfalfa fodder and wheat straw, especially in drought conditions and poor pastures, its consumption is economical.

This experiment was carried out to investigate the Moghani ewe production performance improvement through reproductive management and nutrition methods during the non-breeding season in rangeland condition. For doing these projects, in one flock with 400 ewes, two groups were identified, that including group 1(estrus synchronization+hormone therapy+supplementary feeding) and group 2 or control group (without estrus synchronization+ hormone therapy+supplementary feeding). Supplementary feeding duration in pre mating for 4 weeks and 1.5 month in late gestation with concentrate were done. During the project, production, reproductive traits and economical evaluation was carried out in each two groups. For quantities data analysis of T-test methods and for qualitative traits were used of frequency table and Chi-square. The results showed that, parturition rate, lamping rate, twining rate, born lamb crop (BLC) and weaned lamb crop (WLC) in experimental group was more than control group (p<0.05). In terms of fecundity, there was significant statistical difference between two methods, so that 104.21 vs. 48.64 percent in experimental group compared with control group were observed (p<0.05). In conclusion, in non-breeding season, in Moghani ewe using of estrus synchronization+hormone therapy+supplementary feeding, have the highest economic interest compared to the control group.

Vitamins constitute an important subject in honey bee nutrition and are necessary for brood development. Vitamin C is one of the most essential vitamins for the majority of herbivorous insects such as honey bee، and plays an important role in its life. This experiment was conducted to determine the effects of its various level of vitamin C on population size and honey production in honey bee colonies. In this experiment after making the uniform colonies in spring for population، brood area and food accumulation، the sister queens were introduced to colonies. Equalization of colonies for stored honey and stored pollen were repeated in autumn. In late February five concentrations of vitamin C in sugar syrup (750، 1500، 2250 and 3000 ppm) were given to colonies in a Complete Randomized Design with 5 treatments and 5 replication. During 40 days، feeding of colonies was carried out every 5 days and received one liter of syrup in each time. Adult population and honey production were evaluated and obtained data have been analyzed by SAS software، PROC ANOVA and were grouped by Duncan’s test. Obtained results showed a significant difference in honey production (P < 0. 05)، but not significantly different on adult population (P > 0. 05). Although adult population didn’t differ significantly among treatments، but the results showed that the colonies fed with various levels of this vitamin، especially 3000 PPM level، had high population in comparison with other colonies. Population average was significantly correlated with Honey production (rs = 0. 5، P < 0. 0093، n = 25). Honey production was affected significantly by vitamin. C 3000 ppm. Vitamin C increased the amount of honey and adult population amount up to 85% and 58% in comparison with control group respectively.