Abstract
The aim of this study was to find the effect of dried grape pomace (GP) feeding on the nutrients digestibility coefficients and biochemical parameters of sheep blood serum. The experiment was divided into three feeding periods—C (control), GP1 (1% grape pomace concentration), and GP2 (2% grape pomace concentration). Wethers in three groups in balance cages were housed for right feces collection. The C feed diet consisted of hay, ground wheat, soybean meal, mineral and vitamin lick. An experimental diet with 1% and 2% addition of GP from the daily dry matter intake was fed. After that, digestibility coefficients (in %) were calculated by the difference between nutrient intake and excretion. Furthermore, in the wethers’ blood, biochemical parameters (mineral, energetic, nitrogen, and enzymatic profile) were analyzed. After the GP2 feeding, statistically significant higher digestibility of CP (crude protein), NFC (nonfiber carbohydrates), NDF (neutral detergent fiber), and OM (organic matter) was found. However, the addition of dried GP increased significantly the content of Cl− and decreased the value of glucose, nevertheless, their concentrations were within the reference interval. Parameters of the wethers’ blood serum nitrogen and enzymatic profile were not affected by GP feeding. Dried grape pomace in an amount of 2% diet dry matter can be considered a suitable source of nutrients in sheep feeding, which in addition should improve the digestibility of diet crude protein.
Highlights
The wine industry produces annually millions of tons of grape by-products, which are valuable resources of biologically active substances that have many potential uses, in animal nutrition [1]
Dried grape pomace in an amount of 2% diet dry matter can be considered a suitable source of nutrients in sheep feeding, which in addition should improve the digestibility of diet crude protein
The apparent digestibility of crude protein was affected by dried grape pomace addition (Table 4)
Summary
The wine industry produces annually millions of tons of grape by-products, which are valuable resources of biologically active substances that have many potential uses, in animal nutrition [1]. Our previous studies have analyzed the effects of various natural substances obtained as by-products of agricultural production on animal nutrient digestibility, health status, or reproductive efficiency [28,29,30,31,32,33,34]. These studies indicate the great potential of these products for use in animal nutrition, the GP addition in animal feeding has to be further examined. The aim of this study was to describe the effect of dried GP feeding on the nutrients digestibility coefficients and blood serum biochemical parameters of wethers
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