Influence of substituting 25% alfalfa hay with Panicum maximum cv. Mombasa with or without spirulina supplementation on the productive performance of fattening Barki lambs.

ABSTRACT: Combining salt-tolerant forages with conventional forage can provide an alternative solution for enhancing livestock production in areas affected by salt. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of substituting 25% of alfalfa hay with Panicum maximum hay, with or without Spirulina (2 mg/g), on the feed intake, digestibility, ruminal fermentation, blood parameters, and growth rate of Barki lambs. Thirty-two lambs, aged 3 months, with an average initial body weight of 21.62 kg (± 3.23), were used in the fattening experiment. The animals were weighed and then randomly assigned to four groups, eight lambs each. The experimental diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric, containing 40% forage. Alfalfa was partially replaced with Panicum hay, with T1 and T2 having 0% Panicum and T3 and T4 contai

SUBMITTER: Meteab MI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12796356 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature