The effect of supplementing Rumenobuffer, Sodium bicarbonate and mixed herbs on acidosis, VFA, blood parameters and performance of fattening Kurdy lambs

Acidosis is a problem for most livestock farms that imposes economic losses every year. Subsequent to the increase in concentrate in diet, the rumen fluid become acidic, digestibility of fiber decreases and changes in the rumen microbial population will be observed. Diets with high levels of concentrates may lead to reduce the rumen buffering capacity by interfering with the mechanisms of digestion and subsequently alter rumen pH. Studies have shown that the use of buffers in animal nutrition, improved rumen environmental conditions via moderated rumen pH, to prevent the pH reduction. Rumenobuffer supplement has been produced for prevention of acidosis and improving the animal performance. Rumenobuffer supplement formed by common buffers and a few herbs. This experiment carried out to compare the effect of Rumenobuffer supplementation, sodium-bicarbonate and mixed herbs on the prevention of acidosis and improving the performance of fattening lambs.
Thirty-six male Kurdy lambs (25±2 kg), five months old, were reared for 100 days. Animals were randomly allocated in four groups, including nine lambs in each group. Lambs were maintained individually. Treatments were; Group 1: control (basal diet), Group 2: Rumenobuffer (two percent of the basal diet), Group 3: sodium bicarbonate (one percent of the basal diet), Group 4: mix herbs (two percent of the basal diet). During the experiment, performance, rumen pH, acidosis, rumen fluid parameters and blood parameters were recorded. In order to determine the animals with acidosis, those with symptoms of anorexia, diarrhea and undigested seeds in the stool, were selected, then the pH of the ruminal fluid of the animal was studied at 2, 4, 6, and 8 hours after feeding.
The results showed that daily gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio improved compared to controls (P Due to better performance and reducing the production-cost in fattening lambs, using the Rumenobuffer supplementation up to 2 percent in feedlot diets is suggested.