Effect of Propionibacteria Supplementation to Sheep Diets on Rumen Fermentation, Nutrients Digestibility and Blood Metabolites

Background: This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplementing ruminant ration with propionibacterium P169 by using 3X3 Latin square Rahmani rams on feed intake, nutrients digestibility, rumen fermentation, blood plasma metabolites. Methods: Rams were divided into three groups with three successive experimental periods. Each period consisted of 21 days. Animals were fed on: rations consisting of 70% Concentrate Feed Mixture (CFM) and 30% roughage on dry matter basis as control; control ration plus 0.2 g (6×10 CFU headG 9 1 dayG , low dose) (Propionibacterium freudenreichii strain P169) (P169 L) and control ration plus 0.4 g (1.2×10 CFU, high 1 10 dose) headG dayG (P169 H). Results: Results showed that dry matter intake, nutrients digestibility, Nitrogen balance 1 1 and nutritive value were not differed (p>0.05) between treatments and the control. Rumen propionate increased (p<0.05) while, isobutyrate and acetate/propionate ratio decreased (p<0.05) with group treated low-dose P169. No difference (p>0.05) in rumen pH, ammonia concentration, Total Volatile Fatty Acids (TVFAs) and VFAs (acetate and butyrate) between treatments. Blood plasma parameters were not affected by treatments (p>0.05). Conclusion: It could be concluded that supplementing rations with propionibacterium might have a slightly effect on rumen propionate proportion.