The effect of substituting wheat straw with different levels of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) crop residues on growth, blood metabolites and hematological values of Moghani male lambs

The purpose of the present work was to study potential benefits of cumin (Cuminum cyminum) crop residues (CCR) on growth performance, blood metabolites and hematological indices. Eighteen Moghani male lambs were assigned to four following dietary treatment groups: basal diet (control; 0%CCR); control plus 7%CCR; control plus 14%CCR; control plus 21%CCR. Basal diet consisted of forage (35%) and concentrate (65%).The CCR supplementation had no significant effect on final weight and dry matter intake, however, increasing 7% and 14% CCR of diet caused an increase in average daily gain (204.86 g/d and 197.53 g/d vs. 179.42g/d and 177.50; p<0.05) and, feed conversion ratio increased in 21%CCR (9.27 vs. 8.92; 8.26 and 8.23) than other treatments. Lambs were fed diet containing 21%CCR had the highest blood urea nitrogen (16.98 vs. 13.04, 13.72 and 15.16 mg/dl; p<0.05) and lowest blood glucose (53.25 vs. 63.25, 60.75 and 62.25 mg/dl; p<0.05). Animals were fed no CCR had highest blood calcium concentration (p<0.05).There was no unfavorable effect on aspartate amino transferase (AST) and alanine amino transferase (ALT) concentrations as indices for liver inflammation in highest amount of CCR consumption. The results suggest that substituting wheat straw with different levels of CCR not only do not effect liver inflammation but can improve average daily gain and feed conversion ratio in levels of 7%CCR and 14%CCR in Moghani male lambs.