Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.15, No.3,2016
Proceeding of 5th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
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STUDY OF EFFECTS FEEDING ALBIZIA LEBBECK LEAF ON SOME
BLOOD BIOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS ON ONE-HUMPED
CAMEL
Khadijeh Ansari*, Tahereh Mohammad abadi**, and Mohsen Sari**
*Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Ramin
Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khouzestan, Ahvaz, Mollasani, Iran
** Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Animal Science and Food Technology, Ramin
Agriculture and Natural Resources University of Khouzestan, Ahvaz, Mollasani, Iran
Keywords:Albizia lebbeck, Blood metabolite, One-humped camel.
ABSTRACT
Albizia lebbeckor sirisis a tropical legume and is the most widespread of Albizia genus in
the world. The leaveof Albizia lebbeckhas a low content of tannins and phenolic
compoundsand relatively high content of N and Ca. The aim of this experiment was to
investigate of feeding of Albizia lebbeck as a replacement for alfalfaon blood parametersof
one-humped camel. Four dromedary camels (2 fistulated) about 2 years old and 150-200 kg
weight of the Arabi breed were selected. They were fed for about one month with control diet
(60% bagasse+40% alfalfa) or diet without Albizia lebbeckand diet containing Albizia
lebbeck(100 percent of alfalfa) by two periods. In the end of trial, blood samples were
obtained and some metabolites were measured. The results showed that the replacing Albizia
lebbeck with alfalfa in one-humped camel had not any effect on blood factors. Glucose levels
in control and experimental diet was 112 and 108.25 mg/dl, respectively. Feeding Albizia
lebbeck during the experimental period, had no significant effect on blood urea nitrogen and
triglyceride. Cholesterol content of control and experimental diets was 25.75 and 26 mg/dl,
respectively. According to the results of this study, replacing Albizia lebbeckleaf for alfalfa in
diet of one-humped camel did not change blood urea nitrogen, glucose, cholesterol and
triglyceride, therefore it may be used by 100 % alfalfa in one-humped camel diet.
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.15, No.3,2016
Proceeding of 5th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
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INTRODUCTION
Albizia lebbeckor siris is a native plant of tropical Africa, Asia and northern Australia.
This plant is a tropical legume that belongs to fabaceae family and mimosoideae subfamily. It
is one of the most widespread and common species of Albizia genus in the world. It grows
five meters and produces 100-120 kg edible dry matter per year. Studies indicated
carbohydrates as major components in siris and potassium and copper were found in the
highest and lowest amount, respectively (2). Siris is an economically important plant for
industrial and medicinal uses. Leave and seeds are used for eye problems and flowers are
used for the treatment of spermatorrhea (3). Siris leave has a low content of tannins (4%) and
phenolic compounds.Albizia lebbeck leave are containing 1.3% of dry matter mimosin
(nonprotein and toxic amino acid). The amount is depending to the season and maturity
(4).Also leaf is containing relatively high content of crude protein (16 to 23%) and Ca, and
nautral detergent fiber is 35 to 41 % (5).Linoleic acid was the major fatty acid in leaf and
pods (6,7). Most livestock readily eat leaves and young twigs of this promising fodder tree
(1). The goal of this trial was to investigate of effect of using of Albizia lebbeckleaf as a
replacement for alfalfaon blood metabolites in one-humped camels.
MATERIAS AND METHODS
The leave of Albizia lebbeckwere collected from Mollasani of Ahvaz and milled. Four
dromedary camels (2 fistulated) about 2 years old and 150-200 kg weight of the Arabi breed
were selected. They were fed with a forage based diet, 60% bagasse+40% alfalfa or control
diet (without Albizia lebbeck) and diet containing Albizia lebbeck(100 percent of alfalfa) for 1
month by two periods.Diets fed twice per day according to completely randomized design. At
the end of the period, blood samples of camels were taken three hours after the morning
feeding via jagular vein, centrifuged and plasma was separated. Glucose, urea, cholesterol
and triglycerides of blood were measured by using Autoanalyzer (model, BS200). The data
was used to analysis as a completely randomized design using the General Linear Model
(GLM) procedure of SAS software, version 9.1. The duncan multiple range test (8) was used
to compare means at P< 0.05.
RESULTS
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.15, No.3,2016
Proceeding of 5th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
216
The results showed that the replacing Albizia lebbeckwith alfalfa in diet of one-humped
camel had not any effect on blood parameters. Glucose contentofdiets of control and
experimental was 112 and 108.25 mg/dl, respectively. Feeding Albizia lebbeck during the
experimental period, had no significant effect on blood urea nitrogen and triglyceride.
Cholesterol content of control and experimental diet was 25.75 and 26 mg/dl, respectively.
SEM: Standard error of means, Means with letters within each column differed significantly (P<0.05).
DISCUSSION
Plasma concentrations of glucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and urea nitrogen of onehumped
camel were not affected by using Albizia lebbeck.The other researchers reported,
feeding diets containing tannin in Alpine goats had no effect on blood glucose (9).The other
(10)explained that use of diets containing subabul (belong to legumes) in Najdi goats and
Arabi sheep were not influencedglucose, cholesterol, triglyceride and urea nitrogen of blood.
Also in other study the inclusion of Albizia lebbeckin Najdi goat diethad no significant effect
on glucose, cholesterol and urea nitrogen (11). But some reports explained that plasma urea
nitrogen was lowered in sheep and goats fed legumes that high in tannins (12). According to
studies (15), camelids can recycle up to 90% of blood urea nitrogen, in contrast to ruminants
who present the value of 10 to 30%. The nitrogen recycling in camelids increases in the case
of lower proteins in diet and or dehydration (16).
In contrast with our results, saponin (exist in legumes) directly connect with cholesterol in the
intestine and inhibit the absorption of cholesterol. Also, saponins bind with bile acids in the
intestine and reduce the circulation of bile acids in the intestines and excretion of cholesterol
occurs. Saponins could affect membrane permeability and blood cholesterol and reduces
Table (1):Blood biochemical parametersof one-humped camel fed with Albizia lebbeck
leave (mg/dl)
Treatments Glucose Urea Cholesterol Triglyceride
Control(diet without Albizia lebbeck) 112 29.73 25.75 38
Diet with Albizia lebbeck 108.25 28.55 26 42
SEM 2.77 1.07 1.094 2.73
P-value 0.3761 0.9300 0.8770 0.3415
Basrah Journal of Veterinary Research,Vol.15, No.3,2016
Proceeding of 5th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
University of Basrah,Iraq
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blood cholesterol (13). The researchers reported legumes (such as subabul) shift the pattern of
rumen fermentation and reduce the amount of acetate and increase propionate and glucose
uptake that don’t prove our result (14).
CONCLUSION
According to the results of this study, Albizia lebbeck as a substitute for 100 % of alfalfain
diet of one-humped camel did not change blood urea nitrogen, glucose, cholesterol and
triglyceride. Thereforeit can be used as a forage instead ofalfalfa in one-humped camel diet.
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Proceeding of 5th International Scientific Conference,College of Veterinary Medicine
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