The effect of feeding of Albizia lebbeck leaf on fermentation, gas production, digestibility and rumen protozoa of one-humped camel

Siris (Albizia lebbeck) belongs to fabaceae family and is native to Africa, Asia, some areas of America and Australia. It is planted in Khuzestan, Bushehr, Fars and Hormozgan provinces in Iran. Siris leaf, flower and pod are valuable for ruminants. Therefore, this experiment carried out to survey gas production, in vitro digestibility and protozoa population in one-humped camel fed with diets containing Albizia lebbeck as replacement for alfalfa even to 100 percent.
Material and In this trial, Albizia lebbeck leaves were collected from Mollasani of Ahwaz. Four Arabian dromedary camels about five years old and 300±25 kg weight were selected and fed about one month with a diet 60 percent bagasse 40 percent alfalfa (diet without Albizia lebbeck) and a diet containing Albizia lebbeck (100 percent as replacement of alfalfa) with two replicates. At the end of experiment, rumen fluid was taken from fistulated camels fed with experimental diets and protozoa population, gas production and in vitro digestibility was determined.
According to results, no protozoa were found in the rumen fluid of camels fed with experimental diets. Significant difference in the gas production potential and rate of camels fed with experimental diets was observed (P0.05). Dry matter digestibility and neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of bagasse in camels fed with Albizia lebbeck and without Albizia lebbeck treatments was not difference (P>0.05). Also dry matter digestibility of soybean meal in camels fed with Albizia lebbeck and without Albizia lebbeck treatments was different (P Based on these results, any protozoa in the rumen fluid of camels fed with control and Albizia lebbeck diets was not found. With replacing 100 percent Albizia lebbeck leaf instead of alfalfa, gas production potential in the camels fed with experimental diet were higher in compared to the control diet. Digestibility of dry matter, neutral detergent fiber and acid of bagasse in animals had no significant difference. Therefore, Albizia lebbeck can be used in one humped camel diet.