Boswellia sacra resin as a phytogenic feed supplement to enhance ruminal fermentation, milk yield, and metabolic energy status of early lactating goats

Abstract Boswellia sacra resin (BS) is well known for its antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties and hence could be used as an efficient dietary feed additive for ruminants during the transition period. This study was conducted to determine the effects of BS by characterizing the ruminal fermentation, nutrient digestibility, milk production, and energy status of early lactating goats fed different levels of BS. A total of 21 late pregnant Nubian goats (initial body weight 26.3 ± 3.9 kg) were stratified using a completely randomized design to the following three dietary treatments (n = 7 does/treatment): control (without supplementation of BS) and BS treatments; low BS and high BS received 2 and 4 g BS/day/animal, respectively. The treatments were started 2 weeks before parturition and continued till 7 weeks postpartum. Constituents with high biological activity (e.g., bisabolene, limonene, α-pinene, and α- and β-amyrins) were the most abundant components found in experimental BS. Linear reductions (P