The effect of using different unsaturated fat sources in starter diet on performance ‎and metabolic parameters of early weaned Ghezel lambs

the experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of using different fat sources in the starter diet on the growth and health parameters of early weaned Ghezel lambs. 20 female lambs of Ghezel sheep breed after birth and 4 weeks of breastfeeding was randomly divided into 4 groups of 5 heads (4 treatments with 5 replicates) so that the average weight at the beginning of the period was the same for the groups. After two weeks of habituation period, they were fed using a combination of 90:10 concertrate: forage as starter diet for 2 months. The experimental diet in the experimental groups included 3% calcium salt of unsaturated fatty acids from flaxseed oil, soybean oil and fish oil as fat sources. The control group fed only breast milk during the exprimental period. The effect of treatments on dry matter consumption and weight gain is significant. The highest amount of feed and weight gain was observed in the treatment of 3% calcium salt of flaxseed oil. The effect of the treatments on the biometric characteristics of the periods was significant. The highest amount of insoluble fiber digestibility was observed in neutral and acidic detergents, crude protein, and organic matter in the treatment of 3% calcium was salt of flaxseed oil. The digestibility of raw fatty acid did not show a significant difference between the treatments. The volatile fatty acids and ruminal pH did not show a significant difference between the treatments. The highest number of prostheses was observed in the treatment of 3% flaxseed oil. Total blood protein levels showed a significant decrease in fish oil treatment compared to control. Cholesterol and blood glucose levels decreased significantly in all treatments compared to those fed with breast milk, but triglyceride and albumin levels did not differ significantly compare to control group. In general, the experimental results showed that early weaning improves the growth of lambs and because the best performance was observed in the treated feed with 3% flaxseed calcium oil, so using the level of 3% of this oil in starter diet of early weaned lambs might be recommended.