Effect of fibrolytic exogenous enzymes used in high forage diets of lactating Rambouillet ewes

Abstract

This research aimed to evaluate the effects of added fibrolytic exogenous enzymes on increasing doses of exogenous on lactating performance, milk quality, and diet digestibility of lactating Rambouillet ewes. Twenty-four multiparous Rambouillet ewes (60 ± 3.24 kg of BW) randomized allocated one of three treatments; treatments were (a) control, basal diet without exogenous enzymes; (b) basal diet + Cellulase enzyme (Dyadic plus®, 2 mL/g of diet protein); and (c) basal diet + Xylanase enzyme (Dyadic plus®, 2 mL/g of diet protein). Enzyme products were added weekly during its preparation. The performance of ewes (body weight changes and milk production) was not affected by enzymes either or was the milk composition affected. However, the baby lambs' weight gain was increased (P ≤ 0.05) by adding xylanase enzyme to the diet. The digestibility of neutral detergent fiber was increased (P ≤ 0.05) in enzyme-adding treatments. The total Volatile Fatty acids were decreased (P ≤ 0.05) in cellulase treatment; contrarily, the Xylanase treatment increased (P ≤ 0.05) the VFA production; propionate and butyrate production were decreased by cellulase use. The use of exogenous fibrolytic enzymes did not affect the productive performance of ewes. However, it increased the body weight of lactating baby lambs and increased the degradability of fiber in the diet. However, the VFAs profile was affected negatively by cellulase enzymes.