Effect of Different Levels Substitution of Cottonseed Meal with Flax Meal on the Ruminal Fibrolytic Enzyme Activity and Blood Parameters and Immune System in Ewes

Flax seed meal (FSM) is rich in various nutrients, especially CP and energy, and can be used as animal protein feed. Flax seed meal is a by-product of flax seed oil extraction. It has approximately 13.3 MJ DE/kg DM and 32% to 37% CP. It has a balanced amino acid profile and relatively low-rumen effective degradable protein. Additionally, it has been reported that FSM has greater content of phenolics and flavonoids than that in its seed. Moreover, it exhibits high antioxidant activity, which is beneficial for the growth and health of animals. These qualities are desirable in feedstuffs for ruminants. However, studies on the effects of replacing SBM with FSM in fattening ewes are limited. The aim of this experiment was to study the effects of replacing a portion of cottonseed meal with flax meal) Linum usitatissimum( on blood parameters, rumen fibrolytic enzyme activity metabolites, the immune system and growth performance in ewes.

The experimental design was a replicated 4 × 4 Latin square with the following treatments: (1) 0% flax meal, (2) 33% flax meal, (3) 66% flax meal and (4) 100% flax meal. The ewes were fed in individual pens for periods of 21 days, with the first 14 days for adaptation to diets and daily meal two hours of 08:00 am and 04:00pm were administered orally. The measurement of blood parameters (Glucose, triglyceride, Blood urea nitrogen, Cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, VLDL- cholesterol) and immune system (Leucocytus, Lymphocytes,   Monocytes, Granulocyte, Red blood cells , Hemoglobin, Hematocrit, The average volume of hemoglobin, The average weight of hemoglobin, The average concentration of hemoglobin in the cell, Red cell scattering amplitude, Platelets, The average size of platelets, The volume of platelets) at the end at the end of the 21-day period. To measure ruminal parameters (pH, ammonia nitrogen and micro-crystalline cellulose and carboxy-methyl cellulose) at the end of each sampling period was 20 days.

The results show that increasing the amount of blood urea nitrogen, cholesterol and HDL- cholesterol and LDL- cholesterol reduced. The immune system parts value hemoglobin and mean hemoglobin concentration have difference significant in treatment and the most amount was of 100% cotton meal treatment. Micro-crystalline cellulose enzyme activity to every three enzymatic activity (intracellular, extracellular and attached to particles) declined.

Overall, the results indicated that cottonseed meal can be effectively replaced by flax meal in the diets of ewes and the optimal proportion was 100% under the conditions of this experiment and without health impact.