Effect of replacing corn silage by amaranth silage on weight gain, rumen fermentation and blood parameters in fattening Moghani lambs

Fifty Moghani male lambs with mean body weight of 28±1.9 kg were investigated in a completely randomized design for 98 days to assess the effect of replacing corn silage (CS) by amaranth silage (AS) on weight gain, rumen fermentation and blood parameters. Five iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets, in which CS replaced by different levels of AS (0, 75, 150, 225, or 300 g/kg of diet DM), were formulated to meet animal requirements. The diets were offered ad libitum and twice daily as total mixed rations. Dietary replacement of CS by AS, increased the daily feed intake, weight gain and molar proportion of butyrate, but diminished the ruminal proportion of iso-valerate, and blood content of triglycerides (P<0.05). The molar proportion of acetate, propionate, iso-butyrate, valerate and pH of the rumen, and plasma levels of the glucose, total protein, albumin, creatinine, Ca, P, Mg, Na, K and Cl were similar among the experimental treatments. Overall, replacement of CS by AS up to 300 g/kg of dietary DM in diet of fattening Moghani lambs were possible, without negative effect on animal growth and blood parameters.