Effect of feeding different levels of ferula ovina on microbial protein and rumen parameters in Kermani sheep

The effect of replacing alfalfa hay by ferula ovina on microbial protein synthesis and rumen parameters of Kermani sheep were studied in a 4×4 completely randomized design experiment. In this experiment, four Kermani sheep (38 ± 3 kg BW) were used in four periods of 21 days, including 16 days for adaptation and five days of sampling. Animals received a diet which had 30% alfalfa, 10% wheat straw and 60% concentrate and in experimental diets, alfalfa was replaced by 10, 20 and 30 percent by dried ferula ovina which was collected from Baft city pastures. In order to estimate microbial protein synthesis, the urine of animals in last five days of each experimental period were collected. In animals which received 10% ferula ovina, allantoin quantity, total excretion of purine derivatives, total nitrogen and microbial protein synthesis were the highest. The amount of creatinine in animals received diet containing 20% of ferula ovina was higher than those who received diet containing 30% ferula ovina. Feeding animals with diets containing ferula ovina, significantly decreased the amounts of dry matter intake, nitrogen intake and its retention, ammonia nitrogen and total protozoa population. In conclusion, the results of this experiment showed that dried ferula ovina can be used up to 10% of diet of sheep.