Effects of Feeding Different Levels of Sprouted Barley on Fermentation Characteristics, Bacterial Quantification, and Rumen Morphology of Growing Lambs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Sprouted barley has been proposed as one of the solutions to the feed challenge faced by livestock producers. The current hypothesis is that replacing traditional feed for growing lambs with sprouted barley could develop the rumen ecosystem by improving nutrient digestibility, fermentation through change in volatile fatty acid, and some bacteria. Therefore, this study aims to determine the effect of feeding sprouted barely on the performance, digestibility, rumen fermentation profile, bacterial quantification, and rumen morphology of lambs. Sprouted barley improved digestibility and rumen histomorphometric and increased the concentration of some volatile fatty acids and rumen bacteria, but decreased dry and organic matter intake, negatively affecting the weight gain of lambs fed 100% with sprouted barley. ABSTRACT: The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of sprouted barley inclusion level on the growth performance, digestibility, volatile fatty acids, bacterial quantification, and rumen morphology of growing lambs. Five dietary treatments with sprouted barley (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100%) and nine replicates per dietary treatment were performed on forty-five Awassi lambs (90 days old). The average weight gain, intake, and digestibility of dry and organic matter were recorded. The pH, color, volatile fatty acids, bacterial quantification, and rumen histomorphometry were also determined. The results showed that the average dry and organic matter intake in T2 to T4 and the average weight gain in T4 decreased linearly. In contrast, the digestibility of dry and organic matter by sprouted barley (T2 to T4) was higher. The pH values and rumen color were not affected. Concentrations of formic acid, acetic acid, butyric acid, and the ratio of acetic acid to propionic acid were increased, while lactic acid and total volatile fatty acids were lower in all levels of sprouted barley. In addition, lambs fed T4 had a higher quantification of Anaerovibrio Lipolytica, Butyrivibrio Fibrisolvens, and Streptococcus Bovis quantification. Selenomonas Ruminantium was higher in T1, T2, and T4, whereas Megashpaera Elsdenii was lower in T1 to T3. The rumen histomorphometric was improved by sprouted barley (T2 and T3). Sprouted barley improved digestibility and rumen histomorphometry and increased the concentration of some volatile fatty acids and rumen bacteria but resulted in a decrease in average dry and organic matter intake, which negatively affected weight gain in lambs fed 100 % sprouted barley. Further studies are required to determine the potential effects on growing lambs fed sprouted barley.