Effect of adding formaldehyde treated protein alone and with Saccharomyces cerevisiae in diet on plane of nutrition, growth performance, rumen fermentation and microbial protein synthesis of finisher lambs

Thirty nine (three months old) lambs were randomly divided into three treatment groups, each having thirteen lambs who were reared up to six months of age on ad libitum finisher ration (concentrates and cowpea hay). The three treatments were control (T-1) that offered finisher ration consisting of untreated protein concentrates and the other two test groups T-2 and T-3 were offered finisher ration with formaldehyde treated (12 g formaldehyde/Kg CP) soy flakes (7%) and groundnut cake (5%). Additionally, T-3 was supplemented with probiotics (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) in the form of fermented wheat bran. Plane of nutrition revealed higher (P < 0.05) intake of concentrate, dry matter (DM), metabolizable energy (ME) and digestible crude protein (CP) in T-2 and T-3 as compared to T-1. This supported higher body weight gain and average daily gain with improved feed conversion ratio in T-2 and T-3 while the effect of probiotic supplementation was not significant (P > 0.05). There was also improvement in digestibility of CP and N retained in body in T-2 and T-3 as compared to T-1. A decreased rumen ammonia with increased excretion of purine derivatives and microbial protein synthesis was observed in T-2 and T-3 compared to T-1. The T-2 and T-3 groups recorded lower serum cholesterol compared to T-1. It may thus be concluded that supplementation of formaldehyde treated protein concentrate in the ration of lambs during post-weaning period could support higher plane of nutrition with improved protein digestibility, N retained and utilization leading to increased live weight gain with a better feed conversion efficiency. Although, additional benefit of feeding probiotic to lambs on a high concentrate diet was not evident, fermented wheat bran with S. cerevisae could be a practical way of feeding probiotics to ruminants.