Abstract
Simple SummaryEffects of a high-rice dietary proportion on the meat quality, gut microbiota and metabolites in small ruminants are rarely reported. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the slaughtering characteristic and meat quality, acute phase reaction proteins (APRPs) in plasma and colonic microbiota and metabolites of goats subjected to a high-rice diet. After a 35-day period, sixteen goats received a high-rice diet (HR, 90% concentrate) or a control diet (55% concentrate). In summary, the results showed that the slaughter performance and meat quality were improved in the growing goats after being fed the HR diet. However, the HR diet induced an acute phase reaction and disturbed the gut microbiota to some extent, which increases the health risk to growing goats.Effects of a high-rice dietary proportion on the meat quality, acute phase reaction proteins (APRPs) and colonic microbiota and metabolites in goats are rarely reported. This study was designed to investigate the meat quality and metabolism in goats. Sixteen goats were equally divided into two groups and fed a control diet (Con, 55% concentrate) or a high-rice diet (HR, 90% concentrate) for five weeks. We found that the HR diet improved the slaughtering characteristic and meat quality but induced an acute phase reaction and decreased bacterial richness and diversity when compared to the control group. Furthermore, the levels of acetate, propionate and total VFA concentrations were higher in the colonic contents of the HR-fed goats than in those of the control group (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the HR diet decreased the pH value, lactic acid concentration and increased the activity of amylase and lipopolysaccharide concentration in the colonic contents of goats (p < 0.05). The proportion of Oscillibacter increased while Phocaeicola and Christensenellaceae_R-7_group significantly decreased with the HR diet (p < 0.05). Collectively, the HR diet induced an acute phase reaction and altered the colonic bacterial community, which increases the health risk to growing goats.
Highlights
In modern ruminant production systems, to achieve maximum performance, the inclusion of plentiful amounts of concentrate into the diets is commonly practiced in the intensive feedlot management system of ruminants [1,2]
It has been proved that subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) induced by a high concentrate diet might cause an acute phase reaction with an increase in acute phase reaction proteins (APRPs) in blood [8,9]
This study showed that an HR diet can significantly increase the carcass weight and dressing percentage of goats, these two indicators of goats showed an increase with the increase in concentrate level, which was consistent with the findings of Majdoub-Mathlouthi et al [22] and Papi et al [23]
Summary
In modern ruminant production systems, to achieve maximum performance, the inclusion of plentiful amounts of concentrate into the diets is commonly practiced in the intensive feedlot management system of ruminants [1,2]. Feeding large amounts of concentrate tends to advance the meat production for goats; feeding diets high in readily fermentable carbohydrates boosts the possibility of developing a series of metabolic diseases, such as subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in goats [3,4]. During SARA in ruminants, many previous studies revealed gastrointestinal fermentation increased the concentrations of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) [5,6]. Accumulation of SCFA production and digestion results in a dramatic decrease in the ruminal pH and lead to SARA, which could depress the dry matter intake and fiber absorption, as well as alter meat quality [7]. It is necessary to establish a high grain diet model to study the effects of acute phase response on goats
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