Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation of a polyherbal mixture (HM) containing saponins, flavonoids, and polysaccharides on productive performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of lambs during the final fattening period. Thirty-six Dorper × Katahdin lambs (23.27 ± 1.23 kg body weight (BW)) were housed in individual pens and were assigned to four treatments (n = 9) with different doses of HM: 0 (CON), 1 (HM1), 2 (HM2) and 3 (HM3) g of HM kg−1 of DM for 56 days. Data were analysed as a completely randomized design using the MIXED and GLM procedures of statistical analysis system (SAS), and linear and quadratic effects were tested to evaluate the effects of the HM level. DM digestibility decreased in lambs fed HM3 (p < 0.05). There was no effect of HM on daily weight gain, dry matter intake, final BW, feed conversion, carcass characteristics, colour (L* and a*) and meat chemical composition. Meat pH, cooking loss and drip loss increased linearly (p < 0.05) when the HM dose was increased. The Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of meat was lower (p < 0.05) in lambs fed HM3. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of 3 g HM kg1 of DM improves meat tenderness. However, high doses of HM in the diet may decrease the digestibility of DM and increase the cooking loss and drip loss of lamb meat during the final fattening period.
Highlights
Antibiotics have been commonly used as growth promoters in animals
For dry matter intake (DMI), no significant differences were found among the treatments during the experimental period
Daily weight gain (DWG) showed a tendency of linear decrease (p = 0.06), and the lambs that were supplemented with HM3 performed lower than the lambs fed with the other diets
Summary
Antibiotics have been commonly used as growth promoters in animals. The emergence of bacteria resistant to these drugs has led to the search for alternative products with similar effects to antibiotics, but of natural origin [1]. Dietary supplementation with herbal products seems to be a promising strategy to improve the productive performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of small ruminants [2]. Some polyherbal mixtures (HM) prepared with medicinal plants have shown positive effects on productive performance, meat and carcass quality characteristics of steers and lambs during the final fattening period [3,4,5]. In calves, it has been reported that the use of HM can improve growth and health status during the pre-ruminant period until weaning by modifying gene expression [6]. The effects of bioactive compounds (for example, saponins and flavonoids) of HM in biological systems, may depend on the efficiency of their absorption and extensive metabolic transformation [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
