Growth and hematological status of young ram lambs when using a feed supplement in their diets

Abstract

The research goal was to evaluate the growth characteristics and hematological indices of Edilbay young ram lambs fed with the Albit-BIO feed supplement. Three groups of 10 newborn lambs (2-3 days old) were formed. The study lasted 6.5 months, and the feed supplement was added to the lambs’ diets from 2 weeks to 2 months of age. During this period, the control group of young lambs received a farm diet, while groups 1 and 2 received 3 and 5 mL of the Albit-BIO feed supplement, respectively, in addition to their farm diet. By the age of 2 months, the lambs of the trial groups reached a live weight of 25.6-26.2 kg which was on average by 1.4-1.8 kg (P > 0.95-0.99) more than that of the control lambs, and by 2.3-3.0 kg (P > 0.95) by the end of the study. Fewer energy fodder units (by 0.37-0.43) and digestible protein (by 25.5-37.2 g) were spent per unit of live weight gain by the ram lambs of the trial groups with higher average daily live weight gains (by 12.7-15.8 g, P > 0.95). By the end of adding the feed supplement, the lambs in the trial groups exceeded those of the control group in terms of Hb levels by 6.6-7.9 g L (P > 0.95), RBC - by 0.4-0.6 × 10¹² L (P > 0.95), and WBC - by 0.5-0.6 × 10⁹ L (P > 0.95). The introduction of the studied feed supplement into the diets of the trial groups, in contrast to their herd mates fed standard farm diets, ensured higher intensity of metabolic processes, body defenses, and growth rates of the young ram lambs.