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Full Research Article

Effects of Aqueous Spirulina Extract Supplementation on Productive, Physiological and Biochemical Parameters in Awassi Lambs

H
Hanan Waleed Kasim Agwaan1,*
1Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, Iraq.

ABSTRACT

Background: Spirulina is widely used as a dietary additive due to its rich nutrient profile, safety and associated health benefits. Its potential to influence growth performance and physiological health in livestock, particularly lambs. 

Methods: This study involved forty Awassi lambs aged 3-4 months with an average body  weight of 20.36±0.40 kg BW. The lambs were randomly divided into four groups of ten. The control group (T1) received a standard diet without Spirulina extract, while the experimental groups (T2, T3, T4) were fed the same diet supplemented with aqueous extract of Spirulina at concentrations of 1%, 2% and 3%, respectively, administered via oral gavage daily for 12 weeks.        

Result: Supplementation with Spirulina aqueous extract significantly enhanced feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. Blood parameters improved, showing increased hemoglobin levels, red blood cell counts, packed cell volume, total blood protein, serum albumin and globulin levels compared to the control Urea levels decreased with higher Spirulina doses and liver enzyme levels (ALT and AST) declined as the dosage increased. The findings suggest that Spirulina supplementation positively influences growth performance and blood health in awassi lambs, indicating its potential as a natural supplement to improve sheep health and productivity.   

INTRODUCTION

According to Abou-Zeid et al. (2015), scientists began using alternative health improving feed additives because several countries moved to reduce antibiotic use in animal feeds. Animal health and performance are all improved by the use of natural and healthful feed additives (Kasim, 2023; Khalifa et al., 2016). Khalifa et al., (2014) supported that ruminant performance and health can be improved by feed additives. The influence of spirulina intake on animal wellbeing and efficiency has also been documented in recent studies (Holman and Malau-Aduli, 2012b).    
       
Spirulina is commonly utilized in food supplements known for its exceptional nutritional profile and digestibility. Acting as a natural source of protein, vitamins and minerals, it might become an important supplement for many kinds of animals, including lambs (Yaakob et al., 2014; Lupatini et al., 2017; Costa et al., 2019; Koyande et al., 2019; Solanki et al., 2023).                                                           
       
The approximate composition of Spirulina is presented in (Table 1) which contains 58-73% of crude protein, 8-19% of carbohydrates, 5-11% of  fat, 5-8% of ash, 3-7% of  moisture and 4-7% of  fiber (Ahmadzadenia et al., 2011), it is also rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and carotenoids (Howe et al., 2006). Spirulina is now more and more popular as a nutritional supplement and additive because of its advantageous nutritional benefits. It is also becoming well-known for its positive nutritional qualities. Spirulina also has anti-parasitic, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory characteristics (Khan et al., 2005). Studies reveal that spirulina has several bioactive compounds including tocopherols, phenols and phycocyanin could provide antioxidant qualities (Gargouri et al., 2019; Anvar and Nowruzi, 2021), therefore spirulina  represent a natural antioxidant and immune enhancer (Patil et al., 2025 ). The impact of Spirulina on sheep performance and health might be linked to the highly digestible protein level, which might help to increase growth and utilization of nutrients. Many studies on ruminants (lambs and goats) have indicated that supplementation of Spirulina to their diet has beneficial effects on growth performance, control of bacterial activity and immune function (Madeira et al., 2017). Furthermore, the inclusion of Spirulina has been observed to improve hematological values, lipid profiles and liver function, implying its capacity to maximize metabolic operations in livestock. Earlier research have shown that a variety of farm animals benefit from spirulina supplementation by assessing the effects on  hematological indicators, serum biochemistry and immunological responses (Salahuddin, 2024), Spirulina may be useful in lowering cholesterol levels, safeguarding cells and affecting the immune system. Additionally, it might be capable of liver protection during stressful episodes (Al-Ankooshi et al., 2026; Seyidoglu et al., 2020). This work seeks to explore the effects of varying doses of aqueous Spirulina extract also beneficial on growth efficiency as well as physiological and biochemical indicators in awassi lambs. Although the health benefits and nutritional importance of Spirulina are already accepted, there is still a clear gap in knowledge about its effects in the context of the aqueous extract use in small ruminants, especially Awassi lambs. So far, research studies have mainly focused on the use of the complete Spirulina biomass or the powder itself in poultry, cattle and goats; however, the use of Spirulina in sheep and particularly Awassi type sheep that are known to be hardy animals adapted to harsh conditions is still poorly studied. Furthermore, not much information is known about the physiological and biochemical response of lambs to Spirulina extract. The absence of particular data impedes the formulation of exact dietary recommendations and affects the understanding regarding the possible positive and negative aspects of Spirulina supplementation in sheep. The biological mechanisms of the impact of water extracts of Spirulina on small ruminants are cross-examined too poorly for comprehensive examination. Filling this gap is necessary to find out whether Spirulina can be viewed as natural growth promoter and health improver. The goal of the present research is to eliminate the present knowledge shortages by performing a thorough examination of the role of aqueous extracts of Spirulina in influencing most important production parameters of Awassi lambs.                             

Table 1: Proximate composition of spirulina (Ahmadzadenia et al., 2011).

   
                       
Aim of the study
 
The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different concentrations of aqueous extract of spirulina alga on the productive performance, physiological responses and biochemical parameters of awassi lambs.                 

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals and experimental design
 
The experimental lambs (n=40) were  severed at random into four groups, control group  T1 , animals eat a conventional diet without giving any Spirulina extract, T2, T3 and T4 giving Spirulina extract through oral gavage for 12 weeks at 1%, 2% and 3%. Diet was made available twice daily, morning and evening, with unrestricted access to water.  
 
Preparation of spirulina aqueous
 
Following the combination of 100 grams of Spirulina powder with 1 liter of distilled water and stirring it for 2 hours at room temperature, the mixture was filtered through muslin cloth, collecting the filtrate for use as Spirulina aqueous extract for application in treatment. In order to maintain its potency,  the extract was prepared on a weekly basis.  
                                                                      
Indicators of growth performance  
 
Body weight and feed consumption were measured weekly using a digital scale following a ten-hour feed deprivation for each animal during the study period of 12 weeks. The goal of this assessment was to establish the daily weight increase, found by taking the variance between the starting weight and the ultimate weight/number of days. Furthermore, the feed conversion ratio was determined by dividing the daily food consumption by the daily weight gain (Hanafy, 2023). This technique made possible a thorough evaluation of the feed efficiency of the lambs over the course of the experiment as well as to assess  their performance.
 
Sampling and analysis of blood indices
 
At the end of the experiment  after 12 weeks blood samples from all experimental animals were obtained, blood extracted from the jugular vein and collected on monthly basis. A total (10 ml) of blood samples were collected of 2 ml, was collected in plastic tubes with EDTA for hematology testing, whereas the second part, remaining 8 ml, was stored in glass tubes to allow serum separation by centrifuging at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes, after which the serum is maintained in the freezer (-20°C) to determine biochemical setters, blood plasma samples were analyzed with commercial kits.                            
       
The data was analyzed statistically using SAS (2008), Means were distinguished via Duncan’s multiple range test (1955).                                                       
       
Presumably to determine if differences existed among the means. Statistical analysis of body weigh changes and selected blood markers was completed using the model:
                                                                                                                 
 Yij = μ + Ti + Eij
                                                                                                                          
Where,
Yij= Observation.
µ= The overall mean.
Ti= Effect of treatment (experimental group).
Eij= Experimental error.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Indicators of production performance
 
The statistical analysis of traits in (Table 2) indicates that supplementation of different concentrations of aqueous Spirulina alga extract significantly increases (p≤0.05) feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group. The present study about productive traits revealed that feed intake was greater in the Spirulina groups, this may be due to improved palatability or higher metabolic effectiveness, Spirulina could increase palatability or stimulate hunger in lambs (Hanafy, 2023)  also spirulina is abundant in bioactive components like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and γ-linolenic acid, which serves as a natural feed supplement due to its known salutary effects, Spirulina contributes to the betterment of animal health and growth by mechanisms such as immunomodulation, antibacterial and antiviral effects, antioxidant effect, intestinal health improvement, disease resistance enhancement and energy metabolism regulation (Christodoulou et al., 2023). Spirulina supplementation revealed a remarkable daily weight gain and final body weight  improvement, this may be due to the rich nutritional content of Spirulina comprising proteins, amino acids and bioactive substances promoting muscle development or may be ascribed to its great nutrient density that may boost growth rates, has a significant (p≤0.05) protein level from 53% to 75%, important fatty acids, vitamins, this evidence supports the findings of Holman et al. (2012a), which revealed that the weight of sheep increases when fed diets with Spirulina, then better body condition index and other traits related to conformation are also improving. The animals that were given Spirulina supplements in their diet demonstrated enhanced growth rate because they had better digestibility of many nutrients as compared to those fed on diets without Spirulina supplements. The finding of the current study regarding the effects of Spirulina is supported by the study of Panjaitan et al., (2014) who revealed that using Spirulina supplement of 5.7 g has an effect on the manufacturing of microbial crude protein (MCP) as well as on the growth. Furthermore, the reports of Alghonaim et al., (2022) prove that the weight gain and digestibility of nutrients were improved when the diet contained Spirulina with the content of 8 ppm in Najdi lambs. The addition of Spirulina into the diet, according to Liang et al. (2020) improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) as a result of the influence of Spirulina on the gastrointestinal microflora in the stomach, as the presence of Spirulina increases the activity of the digestive enzymes which contributes to the efficient nutrients absorption by animal digestive systems. The increase in feed conversion ratio with higher levels of spirulina also indicates that there is better utilization of nutrients by the animals. Also, the use of spirulina could enhance the efficiency of growth as it has been found to improve the anatomy and physiology of the digestive system making it more effective in protein and dry matter utilization (Joshi et al., 2018), which could be due to the high nutrient content of spirulina leading to improved secretion of extracellular enzymes by the intestinal microflora (Lamminen et al., 2019). Moreover, it has been found that spirulina contains linoleic and linolenic acids which are very important for the metabolism of animals (Liu et al., 2019). In addition to that, it has been suggested that some of the amino acids present in spirulina, polysaccharides, docosahexaenoic acid among many other substances that improve growth could be responsible for the improved growth performance of lambs (Wu et al., 2016; Firdaus et al., 2025) which is consistent with findings by Liu et al. (2019) who discovered that spirulina helps in enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activity of the body, reducing lipid peroxidation and also fighting against free radicals thus improving the vitality and health of animals.

Table 2: Effect of spirulina alga supplementation on growth performance of awassi lambs (Mean±S.E).


 
Hematological parameters
 
According to (Table 3) it is evident that different doses of aqueous Spirulina extract were able to enhance the blood characteristics of lambs. It has been found that in the lambs with the Spirulina supplementation, hemoglobin concentration (g/dl) was significantly increased (p≤0.05) as compared to the control group. In lambs receiving the 1% and 2% Spirulina supplementation, the total RBC count was increased significantly (p≤0.05). It was also discovered that the 3% Spirulina group has the highest RBC count. Additionally, we can see that the supplementation of Spirulina boosted the WBC count compared with the control group. The same positive changes were noted with respect to packing cell volume (PCV). Results of the study on hematological metrics shown significant increase (P≤0.05) in hemoglobin and RBC levels in Spirulina group, which can be explained with the properties of Spirulina such as being a rich source of iron, vital vitamins and phycocyanin which stimulate the production of red blood cells. This finding is supported with the research of Selmi et al. (2011) who showed that Spirulina as a dietary supplement is rich in proteins and carotenoids, vitamins and minerals and could be used to treat anemia. Increase in WBC levels in experimental groups shows the improvement in immune effectiveness of Spirulina; in addition, the increase in WBC count could be also attributed to phycocyanin and polysaccharides that are present in Spirulina according to (Zhang, 1994). The findings of this study corroborate the results of the research conducted by El-Sabagh et al. (2014), where improved levels of hemoglobin and white blood cell count have been observed in primate subjects who were treated with Spirulina. The levels of packed cell volume of the experimental group also revealed the same degree of improvement, thus indicating blood volume increase combined with enhanced capacity of oxygen transportation. Higher packed cell volume indicates the possibility of enhancing blood cell production as a result of the use of Spirulina, rich in iron and other nutrients that are absorbed better. The rises in hemoglobin levels, red and white blood cells and packed cell volume suggest that Spirulina could have an impact on blood production and, therefore, immunity due to the composition of nutrients present in Spirulina, such as proteins, iron, vitamins and bioactive components. The obtained results provide evidence of growth improvement and health enhancement, which in its turn supports the idea that Spirulina is advantageous for blood health in ruminants (El-Deeb et al., 2023).

Table 3: Impact of spirulina algae on the hematological parameters of awassi lambs (Mean±S.E).


       
The analysis of the blood biochemistry showed significant increases (p≤0.05) in total protein, albumin and globulin levels in the Spirulina groups as indicated in (Table 4). Lambs receiving Spirulina showed also lower (p≤0.05) levels of MDA in plasma. SOD and CAT activities increased when MDA levels decreased as well as ALT, AST, cholesterol, triglycerides and urea levels. The conclusion was that there was elevated blood biochemistry indicators (p≤0.05) in total protein, albumin and globulin levels in Spirulina groups as shown in (Table 4). The implication of these results is better nutrition. High levels of plasma globulin are expected to correlate with the strong innate immune response in lambs which means that the immune defense has also been improved (Matanović et al., 2007). According to these findings, it supports El-Sabagh et al. (2014) who state that animals that received Spirulina treatment had increased plasma globulin levels. In this study, spirulina application resulted in decreased plasma MDA concentrations (P<0.05), which proved the influence on the oxidative status of lamb’s tissues (Celi, 2010) and the decrease in lipid peroxidation. The lower serum MDA levels further explain the positive impact of Spirulina on the antioxidant status of the lambs (Hanafy, 2023), which goes along with results noticed by El-Sabagh et al. (2014), who point out that lambs being fattened on Spirulina-containing diets had a lesser amount of MDA in their bodies. As the levels of MDA fell, the enzymatic actions of SOD and CAT increased, showing that spirulina can aid with oxidative defense most probably because of the antioxidant properties of spirulina, especially phycocyanin, carotenoids and many others that scavenge free radicals and limit oxidative stress. The drop in MDA levels and the rise in antioxidant enzyme activity indicate the lesser oxidative stress in lambs, potentially leading to animal welfare and productivity, as spirulina groups had lesser total cholesterol levels and triglycerides in the plasma when compared to the control group, which coincides with the established anti-lipoid properties of spirulina (Rostami et al., 2022). The findings are consistent with the study by Sajilata et al., (2008), where spirulina was characterized as a source of important proteins with hypocholesterolemia properties. This paper shows that spirulina can enhance health and reduce the chances of developing metabolic diseases. As per the current study, spirulina was found to greatly reduce the level of blood cholesterol, probably due to its antioxidant properties and the ability to increase the absorption of bile acids in the ileum as well as to inhibit the absorption of carbohydrates in the jejunum. The decrease in cholesterol might be due to the rise of lipase enzyme activity. Moreover, spirulina is reported to have the ability to lower fat content through the C-phycocyanin protein, using the dose-dependent inhibition of the action of the pancreatic lipase enzyme. The research indicated that the administration of spirulina significantly decreased the AST and ALT levels suggesting the protective effect against liver injury (Bhattacharyya and Mehta, 2012). Confirming this statement are (Azab et al., 2013) who proved the ability of spirulina to act as a protective agent from liver diseases. The antioxidative properties of spirulina may bring about the decrease in the indices of ALT and AST, cholesterol and triglycerides thus the oxidative stress is lowered and liver condition is improved. Higher oxidative level is associated with greater production and the state of health. The findings mean that the inclusion of spirulina could improve blood biochemical profile due to the high level of phytochemicals and protein during the live weight gain and in general help the health and productivity of small ruminants (EL-Sabagh et al., 2014). The findings showed a significant (p≤0.05) reduction in plasma urea concentrations in the groups being treated, which may indicate the possibility of kidneys being protected. The could be due to either improved kidney functions or reduction in protein metabolism in the body, as the spirulina inhibits the process of amino acid metabolism in the stomach which in turn causes the reduction of urea as evident by low urea levels found in the lambs. 

Table 4: Impact of spirulina alga on blood biochemical measurement of awassi lambs (Mean±S.E).

CONCLUSION

The supplementation of aqueous Spirulina extract at different concentrations significantly improves growth performance (feed consumption, weight gain and feed efficiency) and blood parameters in Awassi lambs.                                

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The research was assisted by University of Mosul, College of Agriculture and forestry/Animal production department. The author is very grateful to them for their supplied conveniences, which helped to enrich the property of this work.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The researcher declares that there is no conflict of interest of this work.

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    Full Research Article

    Effects of Aqueous Spirulina Extract Supplementation on Productive, Physiological and Biochemical Parameters in Awassi Lambs

    H
    Hanan Waleed Kasim Agwaan1,*
    1Department of Animal Production, College of Agriculture and Forestry, University of Mosul, Iraq.

    ABSTRACT

    Background: Spirulina is widely used as a dietary additive due to its rich nutrient profile, safety and associated health benefits. Its potential to influence growth performance and physiological health in livestock, particularly lambs. 

    Methods: This study involved forty Awassi lambs aged 3-4 months with an average body  weight of 20.36±0.40 kg BW. The lambs were randomly divided into four groups of ten. The control group (T1) received a standard diet without Spirulina extract, while the experimental groups (T2, T3, T4) were fed the same diet supplemented with aqueous extract of Spirulina at concentrations of 1%, 2% and 3%, respectively, administered via oral gavage daily for 12 weeks.        

    Result: Supplementation with Spirulina aqueous extract significantly enhanced feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion efficiency. Blood parameters improved, showing increased hemoglobin levels, red blood cell counts, packed cell volume, total blood protein, serum albumin and globulin levels compared to the control Urea levels decreased with higher Spirulina doses and liver enzyme levels (ALT and AST) declined as the dosage increased. The findings suggest that Spirulina supplementation positively influences growth performance and blood health in awassi lambs, indicating its potential as a natural supplement to improve sheep health and productivity.   

    INTRODUCTION

    According to Abou-Zeid et al. (2015), scientists began using alternative health improving feed additives because several countries moved to reduce antibiotic use in animal feeds. Animal health and performance are all improved by the use of natural and healthful feed additives (Kasim, 2023; Khalifa et al., 2016). Khalifa et al., (2014) supported that ruminant performance and health can be improved by feed additives. The influence of spirulina intake on animal wellbeing and efficiency has also been documented in recent studies (Holman and Malau-Aduli, 2012b).    
           
    Spirulina is commonly utilized in food supplements known for its exceptional nutritional profile and digestibility. Acting as a natural source of protein, vitamins and minerals, it might become an important supplement for many kinds of animals, including lambs (Yaakob et al., 2014; Lupatini et al., 2017; Costa et al., 2019; Koyande et al., 2019; Solanki et al., 2023).                                                           
           
    The approximate composition of Spirulina is presented in (Table 1) which contains 58-73% of crude protein, 8-19% of carbohydrates, 5-11% of  fat, 5-8% of ash, 3-7% of  moisture and 4-7% of  fiber (Ahmadzadenia et al., 2011), it is also rich in gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) and carotenoids (Howe et al., 2006). Spirulina is now more and more popular as a nutritional supplement and additive because of its advantageous nutritional benefits. It is also becoming well-known for its positive nutritional qualities. Spirulina also has anti-parasitic, antibacterial, antiviral and anti-inflammatory characteristics (Khan et al., 2005). Studies reveal that spirulina has several bioactive compounds including tocopherols, phenols and phycocyanin could provide antioxidant qualities (Gargouri et al., 2019; Anvar and Nowruzi, 2021), therefore spirulina  represent a natural antioxidant and immune enhancer (Patil et al., 2025 ). The impact of Spirulina on sheep performance and health might be linked to the highly digestible protein level, which might help to increase growth and utilization of nutrients. Many studies on ruminants (lambs and goats) have indicated that supplementation of Spirulina to their diet has beneficial effects on growth performance, control of bacterial activity and immune function (Madeira et al., 2017). Furthermore, the inclusion of Spirulina has been observed to improve hematological values, lipid profiles and liver function, implying its capacity to maximize metabolic operations in livestock. Earlier research have shown that a variety of farm animals benefit from spirulina supplementation by assessing the effects on  hematological indicators, serum biochemistry and immunological responses (Salahuddin, 2024), Spirulina may be useful in lowering cholesterol levels, safeguarding cells and affecting the immune system. Additionally, it might be capable of liver protection during stressful episodes (Al-Ankooshi et al., 2026; Seyidoglu et al., 2020). This work seeks to explore the effects of varying doses of aqueous Spirulina extract also beneficial on growth efficiency as well as physiological and biochemical indicators in awassi lambs. Although the health benefits and nutritional importance of Spirulina are already accepted, there is still a clear gap in knowledge about its effects in the context of the aqueous extract use in small ruminants, especially Awassi lambs. So far, research studies have mainly focused on the use of the complete Spirulina biomass or the powder itself in poultry, cattle and goats; however, the use of Spirulina in sheep and particularly Awassi type sheep that are known to be hardy animals adapted to harsh conditions is still poorly studied. Furthermore, not much information is known about the physiological and biochemical response of lambs to Spirulina extract. The absence of particular data impedes the formulation of exact dietary recommendations and affects the understanding regarding the possible positive and negative aspects of Spirulina supplementation in sheep. The biological mechanisms of the impact of water extracts of Spirulina on small ruminants are cross-examined too poorly for comprehensive examination. Filling this gap is necessary to find out whether Spirulina can be viewed as natural growth promoter and health improver. The goal of the present research is to eliminate the present knowledge shortages by performing a thorough examination of the role of aqueous extracts of Spirulina in influencing most important production parameters of Awassi lambs.                             

    Table 1: Proximate composition of spirulina (Ahmadzadenia et al., 2011).

       
                           
    Aim of the study
     
    The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of different concentrations of aqueous extract of spirulina alga on the productive performance, physiological responses and biochemical parameters of awassi lambs.                 

    MATERIALS AND METHODS

    Animals and experimental design
     
    The experimental lambs (n=40) were  severed at random into four groups, control group  T1 , animals eat a conventional diet without giving any Spirulina extract, T2, T3 and T4 giving Spirulina extract through oral gavage for 12 weeks at 1%, 2% and 3%. Diet was made available twice daily, morning and evening, with unrestricted access to water.  
     
    Preparation of spirulina aqueous
     
    Following the combination of 100 grams of Spirulina powder with 1 liter of distilled water and stirring it for 2 hours at room temperature, the mixture was filtered through muslin cloth, collecting the filtrate for use as Spirulina aqueous extract for application in treatment. In order to maintain its potency,  the extract was prepared on a weekly basis.  
                                                                          
    Indicators of growth performance  
     
    Body weight and feed consumption were measured weekly using a digital scale following a ten-hour feed deprivation for each animal during the study period of 12 weeks. The goal of this assessment was to establish the daily weight increase, found by taking the variance between the starting weight and the ultimate weight/number of days. Furthermore, the feed conversion ratio was determined by dividing the daily food consumption by the daily weight gain (Hanafy, 2023). This technique made possible a thorough evaluation of the feed efficiency of the lambs over the course of the experiment as well as to assess  their performance.
     
    Sampling and analysis of blood indices
     
    At the end of the experiment  after 12 weeks blood samples from all experimental animals were obtained, blood extracted from the jugular vein and collected on monthly basis. A total (10 ml) of blood samples were collected of 2 ml, was collected in plastic tubes with EDTA for hematology testing, whereas the second part, remaining 8 ml, was stored in glass tubes to allow serum separation by centrifuging at 3000 rpm for 15 minutes, after which the serum is maintained in the freezer (-20°C) to determine biochemical setters, blood plasma samples were analyzed with commercial kits.                            
           
    The data was analyzed statistically using SAS (2008), Means were distinguished via Duncan’s multiple range test (1955).                                                       
           
    Presumably to determine if differences existed among the means. Statistical analysis of body weigh changes and selected blood markers was completed using the model:
                                                                                                                     
     Yij = μ + Ti + Eij
                                                                                                                              
    Where,
    Yij= Observation.
    µ= The overall mean.
    Ti= Effect of treatment (experimental group).
    Eij= Experimental error.

    RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

    Indicators of production performance
     
    The statistical analysis of traits in (Table 2) indicates that supplementation of different concentrations of aqueous Spirulina alga extract significantly increases (p≤0.05) feed intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio (FCR) compared to the control group. The present study about productive traits revealed that feed intake was greater in the Spirulina groups, this may be due to improved palatability or higher metabolic effectiveness, Spirulina could increase palatability or stimulate hunger in lambs (Hanafy, 2023)  also spirulina is abundant in bioactive components like vitamins, minerals, antioxidants and γ-linolenic acid, which serves as a natural feed supplement due to its known salutary effects, Spirulina contributes to the betterment of animal health and growth by mechanisms such as immunomodulation, antibacterial and antiviral effects, antioxidant effect, intestinal health improvement, disease resistance enhancement and energy metabolism regulation (Christodoulou et al., 2023). Spirulina supplementation revealed a remarkable daily weight gain and final body weight  improvement, this may be due to the rich nutritional content of Spirulina comprising proteins, amino acids and bioactive substances promoting muscle development or may be ascribed to its great nutrient density that may boost growth rates, has a significant (p≤0.05) protein level from 53% to 75%, important fatty acids, vitamins, this evidence supports the findings of Holman et al. (2012a), which revealed that the weight of sheep increases when fed diets with Spirulina, then better body condition index and other traits related to conformation are also improving. The animals that were given Spirulina supplements in their diet demonstrated enhanced growth rate because they had better digestibility of many nutrients as compared to those fed on diets without Spirulina supplements. The finding of the current study regarding the effects of Spirulina is supported by the study of Panjaitan et al., (2014) who revealed that using Spirulina supplement of 5.7 g has an effect on the manufacturing of microbial crude protein (MCP) as well as on the growth. Furthermore, the reports of Alghonaim et al., (2022) prove that the weight gain and digestibility of nutrients were improved when the diet contained Spirulina with the content of 8 ppm in Najdi lambs. The addition of Spirulina into the diet, according to Liang et al. (2020) improved the feed conversion ratio (FCR) as a result of the influence of Spirulina on the gastrointestinal microflora in the stomach, as the presence of Spirulina increases the activity of the digestive enzymes which contributes to the efficient nutrients absorption by animal digestive systems. The increase in feed conversion ratio with higher levels of spirulina also indicates that there is better utilization of nutrients by the animals. Also, the use of spirulina could enhance the efficiency of growth as it has been found to improve the anatomy and physiology of the digestive system making it more effective in protein and dry matter utilization (Joshi et al., 2018), which could be due to the high nutrient content of spirulina leading to improved secretion of extracellular enzymes by the intestinal microflora (Lamminen et al., 2019). Moreover, it has been found that spirulina contains linoleic and linolenic acids which are very important for the metabolism of animals (Liu et al., 2019). In addition to that, it has been suggested that some of the amino acids present in spirulina, polysaccharides, docosahexaenoic acid among many other substances that improve growth could be responsible for the improved growth performance of lambs (Wu et al., 2016; Firdaus et al., 2025) which is consistent with findings by Liu et al. (2019) who discovered that spirulina helps in enhancing the antioxidant enzyme activity of the body, reducing lipid peroxidation and also fighting against free radicals thus improving the vitality and health of animals.

    Table 2: Effect of spirulina alga supplementation on growth performance of awassi lambs (Mean±S.E).


     
    Hematological parameters
     
    According to (Table 3) it is evident that different doses of aqueous Spirulina extract were able to enhance the blood characteristics of lambs. It has been found that in the lambs with the Spirulina supplementation, hemoglobin concentration (g/dl) was significantly increased (p≤0.05) as compared to the control group. In lambs receiving the 1% and 2% Spirulina supplementation, the total RBC count was increased significantly (p≤0.05). It was also discovered that the 3% Spirulina group has the highest RBC count. Additionally, we can see that the supplementation of Spirulina boosted the WBC count compared with the control group. The same positive changes were noted with respect to packing cell volume (PCV). Results of the study on hematological metrics shown significant increase (P≤0.05) in hemoglobin and RBC levels in Spirulina group, which can be explained with the properties of Spirulina such as being a rich source of iron, vital vitamins and phycocyanin which stimulate the production of red blood cells. This finding is supported with the research of Selmi et al. (2011) who showed that Spirulina as a dietary supplement is rich in proteins and carotenoids, vitamins and minerals and could be used to treat anemia. Increase in WBC levels in experimental groups shows the improvement in immune effectiveness of Spirulina; in addition, the increase in WBC count could be also attributed to phycocyanin and polysaccharides that are present in Spirulina according to (Zhang, 1994). The findings of this study corroborate the results of the research conducted by El-Sabagh et al. (2014), where improved levels of hemoglobin and white blood cell count have been observed in primate subjects who were treated with Spirulina. The levels of packed cell volume of the experimental group also revealed the same degree of improvement, thus indicating blood volume increase combined with enhanced capacity of oxygen transportation. Higher packed cell volume indicates the possibility of enhancing blood cell production as a result of the use of Spirulina, rich in iron and other nutrients that are absorbed better. The rises in hemoglobin levels, red and white blood cells and packed cell volume suggest that Spirulina could have an impact on blood production and, therefore, immunity due to the composition of nutrients present in Spirulina, such as proteins, iron, vitamins and bioactive components. The obtained results provide evidence of growth improvement and health enhancement, which in its turn supports the idea that Spirulina is advantageous for blood health in ruminants (El-Deeb et al., 2023).

    Table 3: Impact of spirulina algae on the hematological parameters of awassi lambs (Mean±S.E).


           
    The analysis of the blood biochemistry showed significant increases (p≤0.05) in total protein, albumin and globulin levels in the Spirulina groups as indicated in (Table 4). Lambs receiving Spirulina showed also lower (p≤0.05) levels of MDA in plasma. SOD and CAT activities increased when MDA levels decreased as well as ALT, AST, cholesterol, triglycerides and urea levels. The conclusion was that there was elevated blood biochemistry indicators (p≤0.05) in total protein, albumin and globulin levels in Spirulina groups as shown in (Table 4). The implication of these results is better nutrition. High levels of plasma globulin are expected to correlate with the strong innate immune response in lambs which means that the immune defense has also been improved (Matanović et al., 2007). According to these findings, it supports El-Sabagh et al. (2014) who state that animals that received Spirulina treatment had increased plasma globulin levels. In this study, spirulina application resulted in decreased plasma MDA concentrations (P<0.05), which proved the influence on the oxidative status of lamb’s tissues (Celi, 2010) and the decrease in lipid peroxidation. The lower serum MDA levels further explain the positive impact of Spirulina on the antioxidant status of the lambs (Hanafy, 2023), which goes along with results noticed by El-Sabagh et al. (2014), who point out that lambs being fattened on Spirulina-containing diets had a lesser amount of MDA in their bodies. As the levels of MDA fell, the enzymatic actions of SOD and CAT increased, showing that spirulina can aid with oxidative defense most probably because of the antioxidant properties of spirulina, especially phycocyanin, carotenoids and many others that scavenge free radicals and limit oxidative stress. The drop in MDA levels and the rise in antioxidant enzyme activity indicate the lesser oxidative stress in lambs, potentially leading to animal welfare and productivity, as spirulina groups had lesser total cholesterol levels and triglycerides in the plasma when compared to the control group, which coincides with the established anti-lipoid properties of spirulina (Rostami et al., 2022). The findings are consistent with the study by Sajilata et al., (2008), where spirulina was characterized as a source of important proteins with hypocholesterolemia properties. This paper shows that spirulina can enhance health and reduce the chances of developing metabolic diseases. As per the current study, spirulina was found to greatly reduce the level of blood cholesterol, probably due to its antioxidant properties and the ability to increase the absorption of bile acids in the ileum as well as to inhibit the absorption of carbohydrates in the jejunum. The decrease in cholesterol might be due to the rise of lipase enzyme activity. Moreover, spirulina is reported to have the ability to lower fat content through the C-phycocyanin protein, using the dose-dependent inhibition of the action of the pancreatic lipase enzyme. The research indicated that the administration of spirulina significantly decreased the AST and ALT levels suggesting the protective effect against liver injury (Bhattacharyya and Mehta, 2012). Confirming this statement are (Azab et al., 2013) who proved the ability of spirulina to act as a protective agent from liver diseases. The antioxidative properties of spirulina may bring about the decrease in the indices of ALT and AST, cholesterol and triglycerides thus the oxidative stress is lowered and liver condition is improved. Higher oxidative level is associated with greater production and the state of health. The findings mean that the inclusion of spirulina could improve blood biochemical profile due to the high level of phytochemicals and protein during the live weight gain and in general help the health and productivity of small ruminants (EL-Sabagh et al., 2014). The findings showed a significant (p≤0.05) reduction in plasma urea concentrations in the groups being treated, which may indicate the possibility of kidneys being protected. The could be due to either improved kidney functions or reduction in protein metabolism in the body, as the spirulina inhibits the process of amino acid metabolism in the stomach which in turn causes the reduction of urea as evident by low urea levels found in the lambs. 

    Table 4: Impact of spirulina alga on blood biochemical measurement of awassi lambs (Mean±S.E).

    CONCLUSION

    The supplementation of aqueous Spirulina extract at different concentrations significantly improves growth performance (feed consumption, weight gain and feed efficiency) and blood parameters in Awassi lambs.                                

    ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

    The research was assisted by University of Mosul, College of Agriculture and forestry/Animal production department. The author is very grateful to them for their supplied conveniences, which helped to enrich the property of this work.

    CONFLICT OF INTEREST

    The researcher declares that there is no conflict of interest of this work.

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