Effects of Ration Supplemented With Zinc on Some Rumen and Blood Parameters, Mohair Production and Quality in Faunated and Defaunated Angora Goats

Authors: ABDULLAH ERYAVUZ, ZAFER DURGUN, ERCAN KESKİN

Abstract: This study was conducted to determine the effects of defaunation and zinc on weight gain, mohair production and quality as well as on some parameters related to blood and rumen contents in Angora goats. In the study, 24 male Angora goats, aged 10-12 months and weighing approximately 18 kg were used. The animals were equally divided into four groups as faunated (F), defaunated (D), faunated +Zn (F+Zn) and defaunated +Zn (D+Zn). Groups F and D were fed with a control ration containing 35 ppm Zn, the groups F+Zn and D+Zn were fed with the same ration supplemented by 250 ppm Zn ad libitum during the investigation. Defaunation and adding zinc to the ration did not affect the pH level of the rumen content. NH_3-N levels of the rumen contents in group F were found to be significantly higher (p<0.05) than those in groups D and D+Zn but not significantly higher than those in group F+Zn except for the first month. In the investigation, zinc levels of the rumen fluid and plasma determined in groups F+Zn and D+Zn were found to be higher (p<0.05) than those in groups F and D. Plasma urea nitrogen levels recorded in the defaunated groups were higher than those in the faunated groups at the same sampling times and those differences at the last three sampling times were significant (p<0.05). During the study, zinc supplementation of the ration on protozoon counts of the rumen contents in groups F and F+Zn did not cause any difference. Entodinium ssp made up 97.8-88.3% of total protozoa. The mean zinc levels of the mohair in group D+Zn were found to be higher (p<0.05) than those in group D. Also the same parameter in group F+Zn was determined to be higher (p<0.05) than that of group F. The mohair production in the defaunated groups was detected to be higher (p<0.05) than that in the faunated groups. The mohair yield in the defaunated groups was recorded higher than that in the faunated groups. In the study, the longest mohair fibre lengths were obtained in groups D, D+Zn, F and F+Zn (in order of increasing length). In the defaunated goats, the mean diameter levels of the mohair samples taken from regions of the shoulder, side and britch were found to be higher than those in the faunated goats. There were no effects of the defaunation and zinc supplementation to the ration on the weight gain. As a result, defaunation can be used to increase mohair production of Angora goats when the ration has a low zinc level.

Keywords: Angora goat, Defaunation, Zinc, Mohair, Haematological parameters, Rumen parameters.

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