Abstract

Aim: The study was aimed to evaluate the effects of Chenopodium ambrosioides meal, ethanolic or aqueous extracts on feed intake digestibilty and caecal flora varation in guinea pigs.

Method and materials:  Chenopodium ambrosioides meal, ethanolic or aqueous extracts were incorporated at a level of 0.5% into the compound feed. Pelleted ration was offered to the animals. Eighty cavies of local breed with an average weight of 431.67±52.63 g were used. The digestbility trial last for 17days (10 days of adaptation and 07 days of data collection), each ration was repeated on 14 guinea pigs (7 males and 7 females), for a total of 56 animal. For the evaluation of the caecal flora, 24 animals randomly selected, i.e. 6 per treatment, were sacrificed at the end of the adaptation period for the identification of the digestive microflora. Then at the end of the data collcetion period, 24 other animals were randomly selected from the 56 animals above and sacrificed for determination of evolution of the digestive microflora.

Results: The inclusion of Chenopodium ambrosioides meal, ethanolic or aqueous extract significantly (p<0.05) lowered the feed intake (23.83 g; 23.42 g; 21.58 g) of cavies compared to the control ration (26.58 g). Feed intake of males (28.97 g) on the control diet was significantly (p<0.05) higher than that of females (24.20 g). However, animals fed on ration containing 0.5%Chenopodium ambrosioides meal, ethanolic or aqueous extracts, feed intake was higher in females. Regardless of sex, DM digestibility of  ration containing 0.5% Chenopodium ambrosioides meal (48.27%) was comparable to that of the control (41.81%) but, significantly higher than that of ethanolic extract (T2) (34.42%) and aqueous (T3) (37.79%) ration. Meanwhile, concerning  OM, CP and CC digestibilty showed no significant difference (P>0.05) between treatments.

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