Polyherbal feed additive for lambs: effects on performance, blood biochemistry and biometry

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of a polyherbal mixture based on Withania somnifera, Ocimum tenuiflorum, Tinospora cordifolia and Emblica officinalis, on lamb’s growth and blood metabolites. Thirty-two lambs (initial body weight BW 25 ± 4.1 kg) were randomly assigned to the treatments which consisted of the polyherbal ImmuPlus at dietary concentrations of 0, 0.1, 0.2 and 0.3% of dry matter (DM) for 60 days. There was a quadratic response to polyherbal in average daily gain (p < 0.01) and feed conversion (p < 0.05). The optimal concentration estimated by regression for maximum ADG was 0.14 ± 0.08% DM of ImmuPlus. Ruminal DM digestibility was not affected but pH was reduced linearly (p < 0.05). Ruminal N-NH3 (p < 0.01) and total VFA concentration showed a quadratic increment (p < 0.05) whereas butyrate proportion was increased linearly (p < 0.05). There was no effect in most blood metabolites related to energy metabolism, but uric acid was linearly reduced (p < 0.01) and bilirubin showed a quadratic decrement (p < 0.05). Mean corpuscular haemoglobin (p < 0.01) increased linearly (p < 0.10), lymphocytes and segmented neutrophils showed a quadratic response (p < 0.01) and platelets showed a linear reduction (linear p < 0.05). The inclusion of ImmuPlus improved the daily gain in finishing lambs and feed efficiency at 0.1% DM without altering blood chemistry and blood biometry.