الفهرس Only 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 196 |  |  |
| | | from | 196 | | |
Abstract
Twelve Maghrabi growing male one-humped camels (Camelus dromedaries) aged 20 - 24 months and weighed 244.08 ± 29.28 kg were blocked according to the live body weight in four similar groups to study the effect of different periods of feed restriction and realimentation on growth performance of camels, economical efficiency and some rumen and blood parameters.
The feed restriction periods were 30,60 and 90 days for groups G2,G3 and G4,
respectively. These restriction periods were followed by 150, 120 and 90 days
(realimentation period) respectively. Results indicated that during feed
restriction periods no significant effect on digestibilities of most nutrients(except for CP) was detected among the groups G2, G3 and G4. Wheat straw intake (kg/day) and DM intake (kg/h/day)were significantly increased with increasing the length of restriction period. The live body weights of camels in both G2 and G3 were relatively maintained constant, while camels in G4 detected
slightly lost in their body weight. Serum glucose, insulin and thyroid hormones (T3 and T4) concentrations were significantly (P<0.05) decreased, while ureanitrogen and creatinine were significantly (P<0.05) increased with increasing the length of restriction period. At ralimentation period, the restricted groups detected higher digestion coefficients of most nutrients than that in the control
group. Wheat straw intake for restricted groups gradually decreased but remained significantly higher than that for control group (G1). Intake of
concentrate mixture was significantly (P<0.05) differed among the restricted and control groups. The average DMI was significantly higher in G2 and G4 than that in G3. No significant effect was detected on live body weight gain and feed conversion. There were significant (P<0.05) differences in serum glucose, ureanitrogen and creatinine, T3 and T4 concentrations at 4 hours post feeding among the control and restricted groups.
The same trend was detected for the ruminal NH3-H and total volatile fatty acids concentrations. At the whole experimental period, wheat straw intake of restricted groups (G2, G3 and G4) was significantly
(P<0.05) higher than that in control group (G1). The average daily DM intake
was significantly (P<0.05) higher in G1 and G2 than that in G3 and G4 (5.64 and
5.66 vs. 4.77 and 4.98 Kg/h/d). No significant effect on final body weight
among the different groups. Feed conversion values (Kg TDN and DCP/ Kg
gain) were significantly differed among the restricted and control groups.
Economical efficiency of all experimental groups detected nearly the same
values.
Prolongation of the restriction period more than two months resulted in
diminishes this recovery and not fully compensates live weight; it suggested that the restricted groups might need a relatively longer period of realimentation to gain the same live weight as the control groups.