EFFECTS OF FEEDING OLIVE LEAVES ON LACTATING PERFORMANCE OF AWASSI EWES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36103/xzge8549Keywords:
Awassi ewes, olive leaves, milk yield, milk compositionAbstract
The current study aimed to study the effects of feeding olive leaves (OL) on milk yield, milk composition, body weight, and blood parameters of lactating Awassi ewes. Thirty-six newly lambed ewes and their single lambs were distributed at random and assigned to one of three diets: 0% OL (CON), 15% OL (OL15), and 30% OL (OL30) to replace the forage source in sheep's diets. The first seven days of the 56-day experiment were dedicated to adaptation, with the remaining 49 days dedicated to the collection of data. Dry matter (DM) intake was greater (p = 0.014) in the OL15 and OL30 groups compared with the CON group. Crude protein and ether extract intake was also the highest in the OL30 group (p=0.0172) followed by the OL15 group and was lowest for the CON group. The consumption of acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent fiber was higher (p < 0.0001) in CON compared to other groups. A decrease (p = 0.0510) in milk production cost was seen in the group-fed diets containing OL. There were no differences in initial body weight in ewes and lambs, while ewes fed on the CON lost more body weight compared with the OL30, while OL15 was intermediate. The average daily gain in lambs was greater in OL15 and OL30 compared to the CON group. In summary, substituting OL for wheat straw did not impact the lactation performance of ewes whilst it decreased the cost of producing milk and may benefit the livestock farmers.
References
1. Abbeddou, S., S. Rihawi, H. D. Hess, L. Iniguez, A. C. Mayer, and M. Kreuzer, 2011. Nutritional composition of lentil straw, vetch hay, olive leaves, and saltbush leaves and their digestibility as measured in fat-tailed sheep. Small Rumin. Res., 96, 126-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2010.11.017
2. Aljamal, A.E., B.S. Obeidat, and M. D. Obeidat, 2021. Lactation performance of Awassi ewes fed diets containing either Atriplex halimus L. or olive cake. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 20(1), 426–432. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2021.1886002
3. Aloueedat, M. K., B.S. Obeidat, and M.S. Awawdeh, 2019. Effects of partial replacement of conventional with alternative feeds on nutrient intake, digestibility, milk yield and composition of Awassi ewes and lambs. Animals, 9, 684. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani9090684
4. Alkhtib A., M. Muna, E. Burton, J. Wamatu, M. Darag, E. Alkhaled, Z. Al-Asa'ad, H. Almoufachi, and R. Zaeowd 2021. Effect of olive tree leaves and twigs on intake, digestibility, growth performance and blood variables of Shami goats. Vet. Med. Sci., 7(3), 908-914. doi: 10.1002/vms3.419
5. Baldi, A., F. Cheli, C. Corino, V. Dell’Orto, and F. Polidroi, 1992. Effects of feeding calcium salts on long chain fatty acids on milk yield, milk composition and plasma parameters of lactating goats. Small Rumin. Res., 6, 303–310.
6. Cabiddu A., M. Canu, M. Decandia, G. Molle, and R.Pompel 2004. The intake and performance of dairy ewes fed with different levels of olive cake silage in late pregnancy and suckling periods. Nutrition and Feeding Strategies of sheep and goats under harsh climates. Centre International de Hautes Études Agronomiques Méditerranéennes-Instituto Agronómico Mediterráneo de Zaragoza (CIHEAMIAMZ), Zaragoza, Spain, pp.197-202.
7. Chiofalo, B., L. Liotta, A. Zumbo, and V. Chiofalo, 2004. Administration of olive cake for ewe feeding: effect on milk yield and composition. Small Rumin. Res., 55(1-3), 169-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2003.12.011
8. Fegeros, K., G. Zervas, F. Apsokardos, J. Vastardis and E. Apostolaki, 1995. Nutritive evaluation of ammonia treated olive tree leaves for lactating sheep. Small Rumin. Res., 17(1), 9–15. http://doi:10.1016/0921-4488(95)00657-7
9. Hatamleh, S. M. and B. S. Obeidat, 2019. Growth performance and carcass traits responses to dried distillers' grain with solubles feeding of growing Awassi ram lambs. Animals. 12, 9(11):954. http://doi: 10.3390/ani9110954
10. Hukerdi, J. Y., F.M.H. Nasri, L. Rashidi, M. Ganjkhanlou, and A. Emami, 2019. Effects of dietary olive leaves on performance, carcass traits, meat stability and antioxidant status of fattening Mahabadi male kids. Meat Sci., 153, 2-8. http://doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2019.03.002
11. Hukerdi, J.Y., F.M.H. Nasri, L. Rashidi, M. Ganjkhanlou, and A. Emami, 2020. Supplementing kids diet with olive leaves: Effect on meat quality. Small Rumin. Res., 106258. http://doi:10.1016/j.smallrumres
12. Ianni, A., F. Bennato, C. Martino, M. Colapietro, and G. Martino, Whole Blood transcriptome profiling reveals positive effects of olive leaves supplemented diet on cholesterol in goats. Animals. 17, 11(4):1150. http://doi: 10.3390/ani11041150
13. Ismail, N. and B.S. Obeidat, 2023. Olive leaves as alternative feed for finishing lambs: evaluation of feed intake, nutrients digestibility, growth performance, and carcass quality. Ital. J. Anim. Sci., 22, 214-221. https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2023.2179429
14. Issa, H.H. 2012. Effect of acacia and dry olive pulp on alleviation heat stress in Awassi female lamb in Iraq. Iraqi J. Agric. Res., 17(1), 164–173.
15. Molina-Alcaide, E. and D.R. Yanez-Ruiz, 2008. Potential use of olive by-products in ruminant feeding: A review. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 147(1-3), 247–264. doi:10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2007.09.021
16. Obeidat, B.S. 2020. The inclusion of black cumin meal improves growth performance of growing Awassi lambs. Vet. Sci., 9, 7(2):40. doi: 10.3390/vetsci7020040.
17. Obeidat, B.S., M.A. Alrababah, M.N. Alhamad, M.A. Gharaibeh, and M.A. Abu Ishmais, 2012. Effects of feeding carob pods (Ceratonia siliqua L.) on nursing performance of Awassi ewes and their lambs. Small Rumin. Res., 105, 9-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.01.001
18. Obeidat, B. and M.M. Alwaked, 2024 The role of olive leaves and saccharomyces cerevisiae supplementation in enhancing the performance and economic feasibility of fattening lambs. Trop. Anim. Health Prod., Accepted.
19. Obeidat, B.S. and M.G. Thomas, 2023. Assessing the influence of feeding olive leaves on the productivity and economic viability of growing Awassi lambs. Cogent Food Agri., 9, 2277518. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2023.2277518
20. Obeidat, B.S. and M.G. Thomas, 2024. Growth performance, blood metabolites and carcass characteristics of Black goat kids fed diets containing olive cake. Animals, 14(2), 272. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14020272
21. Olmez, E.. K. Vural, S. Gok, Z. Ozturk, H. Kayalar, S. Ayhan, and A.Var, 2015. Olive leaf extract improves the atherogenic lipid profile in rats fed a high cholesterol diet. Phytother. Res., 29(10), 1652-7.
doi: 10.1002/ptr.5445
22. Quirantes-Piné, R., J. Lozano-Sánchez, M. Herrero, E. Ibáñez, A. Segura-Carretero, and A. Fernández-Gutiérrez, 2013. HPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS as a powerful analytical tool for characterizing phenolic compounds in olive-leaf extracts. Phytochem. Anal., 24(3), 213-23. doi: 10.1002/pca.2401
23. Tzamaloukas, O., M. C. Neofytou, and P.E. Simitzis, 2021. Application of olive by-products in livestock with emphasis on small ruminants: implications on rumen function, growth performance, milk and meat quality. Animals, 11(2), 531. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11020531
24. Van Soest, P.J., J.B. Robertson, and B.A. Lewis, 1991. Methods of dietary fiber, neutral detergent fiber and non-starch polysaccharides in relation to animal nutrition. J. Dairy Sci., 74, 3583-3597. http://dx.doi.org/10.3168/jds.S0022-0302(91)78551-2
25. Vasta, V., A.Nudda, A. Cannas, M. Lanza, and A. Priolo, 2008. Alternative feed resources and their effects on the quality of meat and milk from small ruminants. Anim. Feed Sci. Technol., 147, 223– 246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2007.09.020
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 IRAQI JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
2.jpg)
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5774-5906 2.jpg)
