Effect of sesame oil feeding on performance, plasma lipids and ruminal fermentation of growing lambs

BACKGROUND: In recent years, dietary fat supplementationhas become a common practice and fat supplemented dietshave had variable effects on animal performance and carcasscharacteristics. OBJECTIVES: This study was conducted to determinethe effect of increasing the levels of sesame oil onperformance, rumen parameters and plasma lipid profile in finishingChal lambs. METHODS: Eighteen male lambs were fedwith control (C; without sesame oil) and the diets containedlow level (LSO; 2.5%) and high level (HSO; 5%) of sesameoil. RESULTS: The addition of fat had no effect on dry matterintake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio(FCR) and carcass weight. Treatments with sesame oil hadno effect on rumen ammonia concentration and total protozoalcount. Ruminal pH was numerically smaller (p=0.14) for controlcompared to lambs fed diets containing 2.5 and 5% sesameoil. Treatments had no effect on total VFA, acetate, butyrate,valerate and isovalerate concentrations. The propionate concentrationdecreased (p=0.04) by supplementation of sesameoil compared with the control. Total cholesterol (TC) and HDLincreased and the tendency for VLDL and triglyceride (p=0.13)to increase was observed by treatment groups when comparedwith the control. Glucose concentration and LDL were not affectedby treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Sesame oil had no effecton the performance and carcass weight of lambs but there wasdecrease in blood cholesterol concentration.

Keywords:

animal performance , cholesterol , finishing lamb , Sesame oil , VFA concentration