PSVII-6 Effects dietary herbal vitamin E on lamb performance, ruminal fermentation, blood biochemical profile, and meat oxidative stability

Abstract

Abstract The objective of this experiment was to evaluate four levels of a natural vitamin E on lamb performance, blood metabolites, rumen metabolism and meat quality characteristics. Thirty-six male lambs (29.24 SD 2.54 kg Hampshire x Suffolk) were used in a completely randomized experimental design. Treatments consisted of dietary inclusion of Herbal E-50 (Nuproxa) at 0, 1, 2 and 3 g/kg dry matter (DM) for for 60 days in lambs that did not receive any additional source of vitamin E. A quadratic response was observed on daily gain, final body weight, feed conversion, intake blood cholesterol and glucose. The estimated optimal level of herbal E obtained of herbal E levels for average daily gain was 1.76 ± 0.10 g/kg and 1.84 ± 0.77 g/kg for feed conversion. Ruminal pH and the major volatile fatty acids were not affected by herbal E. A quadratic response was observed on blood cholesterol (P < 0.10) and glucose (P < 0.01). Dietary herbal E increased linearly counts of erythrocytes (P < 0.05), platelet (P < 0.10), proteins and globulins (P < 0.01) whereas the albumin/globulin ratio was linearly reduced (P < 0.01). Meat texture was improved (quadratic; P < 0.05) and the reducing/antioxidant capacity was improved linearly (P < 0.001) with herbal E. Redness measured at 7 d was also improved with herbal E (P < 0.05; lineal effect). The lamb performance can be improved with 1.8 g/kg Herbal E 50 in finishing lamb diets. The inclusion of herbal E feed plant additive improved the daily gain in finishing lambs, feed efficiency and improved meat oxidative stability.