Feed intake, diet digestibility, nitrogen retention, microbial protein synthesis, and blood and rumen parameters in sheep fed with tarragon stalk

The effects of replacement of alfalfa hay and wheat straw with different levels of tarragon plant stalk (TPS) on feed intake, digestibility, microbial protein synthesis, and blood and rumen parameters of sheep were investigated using four Kermani male sheep (BW= 45±2 kg) with approximately three years old in a Latin square design with four 21-day periods. The experimental diets were: 1) control diet (without TPS), 2) diet containing 8% TPS, 3) diet containing 16% TPS and 4) diet containing 24% TPS (DM basis). Dry matter intake, and dietary digestibility of DM, OM and CP were not affected by feeding of TPS in the present research. The amounts of nitrogen intake, nitrogen excreted in the urine and feces, the amount  and percentage of retained nitrogen, ruminal pH, ruminal concentrations of NH3-N and volatile fatty acids, and protozoa population were not affected by experimental diets. Feeding different levels of TPS had no effect on, microbial protein synthesis, and concentrations of blood glucose, total protein, urea nitrogen, triglyceride and cholesterol. Results of this study showed that tarragon plant stalk could be replaced with alfalfa hay and wheat straw up to 24% (DM basis) in sheep diet without any effect on ruminal fermentation, blood parameters or feed intake.