Abstract

Aim: Main purpose of the study was to explore the effects of Acacia albida leaf supplementation on haematological and biochemical parameters of Arab ewes on natural rangeland.

Method and materials:  The basic ration consisted of R0_: (300g Dactyloctenium aegyptium + 300g Cenchrus ciliaris + 600g Panicum maximum); R1: R0 + 400g Acacia albida leaves; R2: R0 + 600g Acacia albida leaves at the end of growth, 5 animals per batch, aged 24 weeks, were taken at random from each batch and fasted for 12 hours, then sacrificed and blood collected directly into heparin tubes for assessment of haematological parameters and into non-heparin tubes for assessment of biochemical parameters.

Results: Results revealed that supplementation had no significant effect on haematological parameters, but for biochemical parameters, serum levels of glucose, total protein, creatine and ASAT significantly increased with increasing supplement levels in young sheep.

Conclusion: It was concluded that 400g of Acacia albida leaves can be used with good results as a protein supplement in Arab ewes.

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