Effect of sunflower oil supplementation as unsaturated fatty acid source on rumen fermentability and performance of lactating Garut ewes
Abstract: The study was aimed
to evaluate the increasing levels of ration energy, with fat-rich unsaturated
fatty acids from sunflower oil on the nutrient intake, rumen fermentability and
performance of ewes. The experiment used fifteen ewes of 1.5 years old,
primiparous, caged individually with their lambs and conducted three treatments
and five replications from a completely randomized designed. Those treatments
included R1= ration with 0% sunflower oil addition, R2= ration with 4%sunflower
oil addition, R3= ration with 6% sunflower oil addition. The variables
consisted of dry matter intake, nutrients, ewes performances (birth weight,
weaning weight, decreased of body weight), total and partial VFA, the ratio of
acetate: propionate, methane production, protozoa and bacterial population.
Data were analyzed statistically and descriptively. The results showed that the
treatments did not influence dry matter intake and nutrients,. rumen
fermentability and ewes performances. Although the treatments increased
(P<0.01) fatconsumption and reduced shrinkage of body weight. It can be
concluded that the adding sunflower oil as the resource of unsaturated fatty
acids up to 6% of the ration was not negatively affected the fermentability of
rumen, moreover can improve ewes body condition and, accelerated body weight
recovery
Keywords: garut ewes; rumen
fermentability; body weight recovery; unsaturated fatty acids; sunflower oil
Author: L. Khotijah, E. I.
Pandiangan, D. A. Astuti, K. G. Wiryawan
Journal Code: jppeternakangg170024
