The effect of dietary supplementation of ensiled pomegranate by-products on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, haematology parameters and meat characteristics of fat-tail lambs

Abstract

The dietary effects of ensiled pomegranate by-products (EPB) with different levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, haematological parameters, carcase traits, and meat quality of fat-tail lambs were investigated in vivo. Thirty-two lambs were allocated to four experimental diets: containing: (1) diet without EPB as control, (2) diet containing EPB (EPB), (3) diet containing EPB with 5% PEG (EPB5%PEG) and (4) diet containing EPB with 10% PEG (EPB10%PEG). The nutrient digestibility, growth performance, internal organs, carcase traits, and chemical composition of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) were unchanged between treatments (p > .05). However, a significant increase in fatty-acid profile of LTL (vaccenic acid, p = .04; C18:2 cis-9 cis12, p = .05; rumenic acid, p = .03; C18:2 trans-10 cis12, p = .02; alpha-linolenic acid, p = .01; punicic acid, p = .03 and total PUFA, p < .0001) was found in EPB-fed animals. The highest total antioxidant capacity (p = .001) and the lowest serum malondialdehyde concentration (p = .05) were observed in lambs fed EPB. The results indicated that dietary incorporation of EPB without PEG and its partial replacement with grains can improve animal health and meat fatty-acid profile without deleterious effects on growth performance. HIGHLIGHTS The fat-tail lambs were fed with ensiled pomegranate by-products (EPB). EPB improved the fatty-acid profile of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum and total antioxidant capacity of serum. EPB can be partially replaced with cereals without deleterious effect on performance.