effect of peppermint (mentha piperita l.) on digestibility and rumen fermentation of makuei sheep

in a 3×3 latin square design three treatments including: 1) basal diet (control) in addition to diets containing 2) 100 and 3) 200 mg/day of peppermint essential oils were tested in three ruminally cannulated male sheep with average body weight of 50±3 kg. rumen liquor was sampled 3 hours after feeding to determine rumen ph, n-nh3 and volatile fatty acids. on the last day of each period, blood samples were taken 3 hours after feeding via jugular vein to determine glucose, triglyceride, cholesterol, hdl, ldl, nefa, total protein, albumin and globulin. dry matter intake and digestibility of dm, cp, ndf, adf and ee; the ruminal parameters   and blood metabolites were not affected by the treatments