Mohammad Amin Gholami - Graduate student, Department of Animal Sciences, , Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
Masihollah Forouzmand - Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
Mokhtar Khajavi - Department of Animal Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran
Shima Hossienifar - Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine,Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz, Ahvaz, Iran‎
Reza Naghiha - Department Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Yasouj University, Yasouj, Iran

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of different corn processing methods on rumen microbial flora, histomorphometry and fermentation in fattening male lambs. Twenty male lambs (average age and weight of ۹۰ days and ۲۵.۰۰ ± ۱.۱۰ kg, respectively) were used in a completely randomized design including four treatments and five replicates each over ۸۰ days long period: ۱) Lambs fed ground corn seeds; ۲) Lambs fed steam-rolled corn; ۳) Lambs fed soaked corn seeds (۲۴ hr) and ۴) Lambs fed soaked corn seeds (۴۸ hr). At the end of the experiment, three lambs of each treatment were slaughtered and samples were collected for pH, volatile fatty acids, amylolytic, proteolytic, cellulytic and heterophilic bacteria and protozoa assessment. The number of proteolytic bacteria in soaked corn seeds was significantly increased in comparison with other treatments. The thickness of wall, papillae and muscular layers of rumen in the soaked corn seeds treatment was significantly increased. Overall, from a practical point of view, soaked corn processing could be generally used in lambs fattening system.

Bacteria, ‎ Corn processing, ‎ Fattening lambs, ‎ Histology, ‎ Rumen‎