Document Type : Full research articles
Authors
1
Animal production Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University
2
Animal Infectious Diseases, Animal Medicine Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Alexandria University
3
Department of Animal and Poultry Production, Damanhour University, Faculty of Agriculture, Damanhour, El-Beheira, Egypt
Abstract
A growth trial was conducted for 90 days with 20 Baladi cross-bred calves with an average body weight of 227 ±15 kg, which were randomly divided into two groups (10 calves for each). They were evaluated with/without supplementation of a mixture of two growth promoters (immunomodulators and liver support products). The control group (G1) received a basal diet containing concentrate feed mixture (CFM), berseem hay, and rice straw, whereas, in the other group (G2), the CFM was supplemented with 2 kg/ ton of the two growth promoters (1 kg each). The feed intake, nutrient digestibility, some blood hematological and biochemical parameters, immune system response, average daily gain (ADG), and economic efficiency were measured. The results showed that calves in G2 showed non-significant differences in overall nutrient digestibility. The red blood cells, white blood cells, hemoglobin, immunoglobulins, lysozyme activity, lymphocyte transformation, and phagocytic index were higher in G2. At the same time, a significant decrease in ALT, AST, and total bilirubin was recorded compared to G1(P < 0.05). The experimental animals in G2 showed a higher ADG by 15.2%, whereas feed cost for producing one kg of gain was decreased by 6.2% increasing the expected daily income by 27.3% compared to the control group. Accordingly, supplementing growing Baladi calves’ diets with a mixture of immunomodulators (1 kg/ ton) and liver support products (1 kg/ ton) as a growth promotor improved the blood biochemical parameters, immune system response, exerting a positive influence on the health condition, leading to enhancement of the productive performance and increased the economic efficiency.
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