Dietary Effect of Ginger and Sodium bicarbonate on growth performance and ruminal fluid of Sheep

Abstract

The study was conducted to compare the effect of ginger and sodium bi-carbonate on body weight and ruminal fluid condition of sheep. One year old twelve rams having average 12-15kg body weight were distributed into four treatments group with three replication and one ram per each replication in a completely randomized design. The sheep reared 2 months into research shed of Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University. They offered four different diets; Control (no sodium bicarbonate or ginger powder), T1(1.5 g ginger powder /kg diet), T2(1.5 g sodium bicarbonate powder /kg diet), and T3 (ginger powder 1.5 g + sodium bicarbonate powder 1.5 g/kg diet). Body weight was recorded every fifteen days interval through digital weigh scale. The rumen fluid collected through stomach tube after 1 hour of feeding at the morning after recording body weight of the sheep. Immediately after collection of rumen fluid, went to laboratory for measurement of pH, protozoa, protozoal motility, and other physical properties such as colour, odor, consistency of rumen fluid. Among three times collection of rumen fluid, the final pH was hightest in T0 group (control group) which was 5.65 and lowest pH in T3 group (combined diet group) which was 5.23 found. In four treatment group, the odor and consistency of rumen fluid were same which were slightly pungent and viscous in three times. Final colour of rumen fluid was olive green in all treatment group. In final collection of fluid, protozoa is hightest in T3 group (combined diet group) and lowest in T0 group (control group). In final weight, lowest body weight was 15.51 kg which found in T0 group and highest body weight was 19.69 kg which found in T1 group. After the analysis of result, we can clearly state that, the combination of sodium bicarbonate and ginger gives best result from other three treatments. The control group gives worst result in all parameters of ruminal fluid as well as growth performance. It was determined that feeding a mixture of 1.5 g/kg sodium bicarbonate and ginger diets will result in overall superior rumen function than providing 1.5 g/kg sodium bicarbonate or ginger diets separately.