Effects of dietary supplementation of calcified seaweed extract with different levels of salt on performance, acid–base balance, and meat quality of growing lambs

Abstract

Sixty 4-month-old male Awassi lambs were used in a 70-day trial to evaluate the effects of supplemental AcidBuf (calcified seaweed extract; Celtic Sea Minerals, Carrigaline, County Cork, Ireland) with different levels of salt on the productive performance, acid–base status, and meat quality of growing lambs. Animals were randomly divided into six groups of 10 lambs each. The dietary treatments were (1) no added supplemental AcidBuf or salt (control group), (2) 0.4% added AcidBuf (A+S0.0), (3) 0.4% added AcidBuf + 0.4% added salt (A+S0.4), (4) 0.4% added AcidBuf + 0.8% added salt (A+S0.8), (5) 0.4% added AcidBuf + 0.1.2% added salt (A+S1.2), and (6) 0.4% added AcidBuf + 1.6% added salt (A+S1.6). Feed intake was measured weekly, and all lambs were weighed every week for evaluation of the productive parameters. Blood samples were collected from all lambs for measurement of biochemical and acid–base variables. At the end of experiment, eight lambs from each treatment were slaughtered for evaluation of carcass characteristics and meat quality. Lambs fed the AcidBuf-0.4% and 0.8% salt diet had greatest ADG (P = 0.03) and G:F (P = 0.02) respectively. The addition of AcidBuf to the diets increased (P < 0.05) the serum K concentration and reduced urea N and total CO2 concentrations in serum compared with the control group. The addition of AcidBuf and salt at level of 0.4% resulted in increases in hot (P = 0.03) and cold carcass weights (P = 0.04) compared with the control group. Overall, these data indicate that AcidBuf and salt supplementation improved weight gain and carcass weight in lambs.