Rumen fermentation, immunity and urine characteristics of lambs fed detoxified karanj (Pongamia glabra vent) seed cake as protein supplement

In order to assess the effect of incorporation of solvent extracted karanj seed cake (SKC) with or without processing on the rumen fermentation, immunological and urine characteristics, male crossbred lambs (24) were assigned equally to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized block design. They were fed iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric concentrate mixtures containing 22% soybean meal (SBM) (reference diet) and 8.25% SKC, 16.50% SKC and 16.50% alkali (1% NaOH w/w) treated SKC (replacing 25 and 50% SBM nitrogen) (test diets) to meet 80% of CP requirements along with ad libitum wheat straw for 165 days. During last week of the feeding trial, rumen liquor was collected at just before feeding concentrate (0 hr) and thereafter at 2, 4 and 6 hr post feeding and subjected for analysis of rumen parameters. The average pH and the concentrations of ammonia-N, total-N, TCA precipitable-N and TVFA in strained rumen liquor was found comparable among different groups, irrespective of the diet. The lambs were also sensitized with sheep pox antigen after 130 days and were subjected to ELISA. The humoral immune response was comparable among different groups. The physical, biochemical and microscopical examinations of urine collected from the animals of control and experimental groups indicated no alteration in qualitative urine characteristics. It was concluded that the karanj seed cake, after solvent extraction followed by alkali processing could be included upto 50% N replacement of SBM in growing lambs without any adverse effect on rumen fermentation, urine characteristics and humoral immune response.