ABSTRACT
A digestibility trial carried out on 12 adult Zaraibi bucks divided into 4 groups each of 3 animals. The tested rations were 40% Sesbania sesban hay (SSH)+ 60% concentrate feed mixture (CFM) (G1),50%SSH + 50% CFM (G2), 60% SSH+ 40% CFM (G3) and 80% SSH + 20% CFM (G4). The results indicate that CP content in both SSH and CFM were nearly similar (15.03 and 14.91%, respectively). The daily water consumption was higher by increasing SSH in the rations. Rumen PH values and ammonia-N tended to be higher with increasing the level of Sesbania hay and the differences were significant at 4 hours post feeding . On the contrary, rumen total VFA's concentrations at 4, 6 and 8 hours post feeding were significantly affected by tested rations and the highest values were recorded with G1 at all hours.
Concerning blood profile, the obtained data indicated that most tested blood parameters were not significantly (P<0.05) affected by the tested rations. Unless that, increasing SSH in goats rations had significant higher serum urea-N and calcium, while serum glucose and phosphorus were lower. The increase of SSH until 60% (in G3) were not significantly different digestion coefficients of all nutrients as well as feeding values (TDN and DCP). In addition, DCP not significantly affected by increasing SSH in the rations until 80%level.