Sheep Diets Research Articles

Addition of the By-Pass Fat into Diet of Awasi Sheep on Milk Composition

By-pass fat is an important source of essential fatty acids for ruminants. It affects yield rather than maintenance requirements. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of adding by-pass fat into diet of dairy sheep on milk components. The study was carried out in a private dairy sheep farm in Konya. For this purpose, 99 Awassi sheep were used after 1 month of the birth during the fresh lactation period. The sheep were randomly divided into 2 groups, the control (C) group (n=54) was fed with total mixed ration (TMR) twice a day, the by-pass fat (BF) group (n=45) was fed with TMR twice a day and 30 g/day of commercial Ca-soap palm oil by-pass fat was given individually during milking. The trial last 15 days with 11 days of adaptation and 4 days of sample collection. The animals in the experimental group consumed 30 g/day of Ca-soap by-pass fat individually during morning milking. The animals were milked for once with an automatic milking system and the lambs were suckled for once by creep. Milk yields of the animals were recorded automatically during the sample collection period, also 50 ml milk samples were taken from each animal at the milking times on the 2nd and 3rd days, and milk fat, non-fat dry matter, protein, lactose, density, freezing point, and somatic cell counts were determined. Fat, non fatty dry matter, density, protein, lactose and somatic cell were respectively; 4.50±0.14 and 5.65±0.17%, 10.86±0.07 and 11.16±0.12%, 34.66±0.45 and 34.33±0.64%, 5.42±0.06 and 5.70±0.10%, 4.49±0.01 and 4.47±0.01%, 121.556±16987 and 171.222±28348 in the C and BF groups, Among milk components, while fat, nonfat dry matter and protein were higher in BF group than C group (p<0.05), density, lactose and somatic cell were similar between groups (p>0.05). It can be concluded that the even though addition of 30 g of Ca soap by-pass fat significantly improved milk fat, non-fat dry matter and protein in dairy sheep fed with TMR at the level of maintenance and yield.

Investigating the impact of biochar on methane gas emissions and its effect on enteric fermentation

This study aims to evaluate the impact of biochar on methane gas emissions and to investigate its effect on enteric fermentation. Methane gas emissions from Naeemi ewes' ruminants were measured, with animals divided into two groups, each containing 14 ewes. The treatment group was fed a combination of biochar and a basal ration, while the control group received the basal ration alone. The results demonstrate that the initial gas emission for both animal groups at day 0 was 1082 ppm, and the inclusion of biochar in the diet significantly (P < 0.05) reduced CH4 gas emissions by 65.58 %–78.39%. Furthermore, feeding Naeemi sheep with biochar and the basal ration led to a significant (P < 0.05) increase in body weight (63.66 kg) and growth rate (length: 79.3 cm, waist: 81.75 cm, and height: 99.76 cm) compared to the control group. Additionally, it raised the average body condition score (BCS) to 3.56, in contrast to the control group's score of 2.83, primarily due to the positive impact of biochar on fat gain. The study revealed that biochar enhances nutrient utilization, improves feed efficiency, and significantly reduces methane gas emissions in livestock. When incorporated into the sheep's diet, biochar can modify digestive processes and promote better nutrient absorption.

Marine microalgae meal (Schizochytrium sp.) influence on intake, in vivo fermentation parameters and in vitro gas production and digestibility in sheep diets is dose-dependent

The objective of this study was to evaluate the dry matter intake (DMI), intake of nutrients and in vivo ruminal fermentation in wethers fed diets without or with 2 or 4% of marine microalgae meal (Schizochytrium sp.) as a source of docosahexaenoic polyunsaturated fatty acid (DHA; C22:6 n-3), as well as the total gas production and digestibility of the experimental diets using in vitro techniques. Six Santa Inês wethers with a body weight of 55.6 ± 5.20kg and 18 months of age fitted with a ruminal cannula, were used and housed in individual stalls. The experimental design consisted of a double 3 ×3 Latin square (three treatments and three periods) with each experimental period lasting 21 days (14 days for adaptation to diets, 5 days for sample collection and 2 days of blank time between periods), for a total of 63 days. Animals fed 4% microalgae meal showed lower DMI (P<0.05; 1,14 vs. 0,86kg/d) and lower intake of nutrients (P<0.05), except for ether extract (EE; P=0.967), compared to animals not fed microalgae. Wethers that were not fed marine microalgae had lower ruminal pH just two hours after feeding (P=0.042) and lower concentrations of ammoniacal nitrogen (NH3-N) in the ruminal fluid at all sampling times (P=0.011) compared to wethers fed diets with 2 and 4% level inclusion. The addition of marine microalgae meal did not have an effect on heat production and in vitro gas production (P>0.05). The in vitro digestibility of non-fibrous carbohydrates (NFC) increased (P=0.033) with the inclusion of marine microalgae in the diet, being higher in the 4% treatment compared to the others. Additionally, marine microalgae meal significantly reduced (P=0.002; 0.55 to 0.47g/g of DM) the in vitro digestibility of neutral detergent fiber corrected for ash and protein (NDF). The inclusion of marine microalgae meal Schizochytrium sp. as a DHA source did not negatively affect ruminal fermentation. However, it compromised dry matter and nutrients intake, as well as NDF digestibility in animals fed 4% microalgae while a reduction on DMI as well as intake of nutrients at 2% inclusion was not significant. Therefore, it is recommended to use marine microalgae meal in the feeding of wethers under tropical conditions at a concentration of 2% of the diet.

Study on Rumen Degradability and Intestinal Digestibility of Mutton Sheep Diets with Different Concentrate-to-Forage Ratios and Nonfiber Carbohydrates/Neutral Detergent Fiber Ratios.

This study was conducted to investigate the rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility of mutton sheep diets different in concentrate-to-forage ratio, NFC/NDF, and ingredient combination, providing a guideline for the selection of a fattening diet for mutton sheep. Twenty-eight diets composed of four raw material combinations and seven concentrate-to-forage ratios and four three-year-old mutton sheep with permanent rumen fistulas were used in the experiments. The nutrient composition of the diets was first analyzed, and then an in situ method and in vitro three-step method were separately used to measure the rumen degradability and intestinal digestibility, mainly focusing on the effects of dietary concentrate-to-forage ratio and NFC/NDF as well as the effects of soybean meal and soybean meal replacement and peanut vine and peanut vine replacement. The results showed that a dietary concentrate-to-forage ratio of 70:30~80:20 and an NFC/NDF ratio of 1.5~2.0 are recommended for fattening mutton sheep, and low-cost cottonseed meal and rapeseed meal can be feasible alternative protein sources to soybean meal. In addition, the nutritional values of sunflower seed hulls and rice hulls for mutton sheep are lower than that of peanut vine. Such a study can provide practical guidelines for enterprises and farmers, being of important significance for the high-quality development of the mutton sheep industry.

Estimating net energy requirements of male Djallonke sheep

Context Energy requirements in sheep can vary significantly due to various factors, including age, breed, sex and environmental conditions. Genetic selection and crossbreeding further contribute to this variability. Although guidelines from the US and UK national research councils are commonly used for formulating sheep diets, they may not adequately account for the unique characteristics of sheep in Africa. Aims The study aimed to estimate the net maintenance energy requirement of male Djallonke sheep. This estimation will provide a basis for comparing the energy requirements of Djallonke sheep with national recommendations and recent estimates for other sheep breeds. Methods Sixteen entire male Djallonke sheep were selected and grouped by weight. They were then randomly allocated to four treatment groups in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. The sheep were fed to achieve intake levels ranging from 1 to 1.75 multiples of their maintenance energy requirement. Gas exchange data were collected using the GreenFeed system over a 3-day period at the conclusion of each treatment period. Heat production was calculated using the established Brouwer’s equation. A linear regression equation was developed to relate heat production to metabolisable energy intake scaled by metabolic bodyweight to calculate the net energy for maintenance. Key results The estimated net energy for maintenance for male Djallonke sheep was determined to be 0.354 MJ/kg BW0.75. This estimation indicated that the energy requirements of male Djallonke sheep exceeded the recommendations provided by the US National Research Council and the UK Agricultural and Food Research Council. However, it closely aligned with an updated estimate of 0.358 MJ/kg BW0.75. Conclusions Based on the study’s findings, male Djallonke sheep have higher energy requirements for maintenance than what is commonly recommended by existing guidelines. Therefore, it is advisable to update ration formulation software for male Djallonke sheep to better reflect their actual energy requirements for maintenance. Implications These results have practical implications for the formulation of diets and feeding management practices for male Djallonke sheep. Adhering to updated energy requirement estimates can help improve the efficiency and productivity of sheep production in the context of Djallonke sheep farming.

Could we partially replace maize with nut skins for more sustainable sheep diets? In vitro ruminal fermentation and biohydrogenation

Agro-industrial by-products might substitute conventional feedstuff in animal nutrition, in order to decrease the cost of their disposal, limit the environmental impact of feed production, and reduce feed-food competition. Nut industries generate a huge amount of fibrous by-products that are also a source of bioactive compounds, such as tannins, and have a notable lipid content, largely composed by unsaturated fatty acids (FA). Therefore, this study was conducted to examine the effects of partial replacement of maize with almond, hazelnut, and pistachio kernel skins at three doses [70, 140, and 210 g/kg dry matter (DM)] on ruminal fermentation and biohydrogenation. The study was performed in vitro with batch cultures of rumen microorganisms, using cannulated ewes as donors of rumen inocula. Total gas and methane production, ammonia, and volatile fatty acid concentration, and dry matter disappearance were analysed as indicators of rumen fermentation. To study ruminal biohydrogenation, in vitro digesta fatty acid profile was examined by gas chromatography. Pistachio skins did not affect any ruminal fermentation parameter. On the contrary, the highest doses of almond and hazelnut skins were capable of reducing gas and methane production and ammonia concentration. However, the highest levels of almond and hazelnut skins, as well as the medium dose of the latter, also reduced the production of volatile fatty acids. Most of these effects were probably due to the presence of tannins. Concerning in vitro ruminal biohydrogenation, FA profile showed that the inclusion of nut skins in the diet favored the accumulation of potentially health-promoting poly- and mono-unsaturated FA (e.g., trans-11 18:1), without a trans-10 shift. On the other hand, medium and high levels of almond and pistachio caused an increase in undesirable FA, such as trans-10 18:1 and trans-10 cis-12 18:2. Effects on biohydrogenation are mainly attributed to the phenolic compounds in nut skins. Further research would be advisable to verify if these findings are maintained under in vivo conditions.

Changes in the Fatty Acid Composition of Vegetable Oils Affect the Feeding Behavior, Feed Preference, and Thermoregulatory Responses of Sheep

This research evaluated the effects of energy supplementation on sheep’s feeding behavior, feed preference, and thermoregulatory responses using technical cashew nutshell liquid (CNSL) and different vegetable oils with different unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) compositions. The experiment was completely randomized with five treatments: a mixture of CNSL (0.5%) + vegetable oils [canola (high in monounsaturated fatty acids—MUFA), and corn, soybean, sunflower, or cottonseed oil (high in polyunsaturated fatty acids-PUFA) at 1.5%] based on total diet dry matter, with eight replications. Forty uncastrated male sheep, with an average initial BW of 24.44 ± 1.5 kg, were evaluated for 70 days. The CNSL + vegetable oil blend did not affect DM and neutral detergent fiber (aNDF) intake (p &gt; 0.05). However, diets with canola oil resulted in higher SFA intake (p &lt; 0.05) than other oils. The canola oil + CNSL blend led to a higher intake of UFA and MUFA and lower PUFA intake than other oil blends (p &lt; 0.05). Sheep fed canola oil ruminated fewer boli per day than those fed soybean and sunflower oils. Using three sieves (pef1.18) reflected in higher sheep aNDF intake. Respiratory frequency and surface temperature of sheep were lower before feeding than 3 h after, without effects of the type of oil. Higher serum creatinine and cholesterol levels were observed in sheep fed CNSL with corn and canola oils compared to other oils. Serum calcium was lower in sheep fed CNSL with soybean and canola compared to sunflower and corn. Including CNSL with vegetable oils with different FA compositions did not affect physiological and thermographic variables. However, sheep showed better diet selectivity and lower bolus rumination with higher MUFA (canola oil) content. Including CNSL with canola oil in sheep diets is recommended, as it increases dietary energy content, enhances diet selectivity, reduces PUFA intake, and does not impact animal health.

Use Of Ginger (Zingiber Officinale Roscoe) In The Diet Of Confined Sheep

The objective of this study was to evaluate the inclusion of ginger (0.0%, 0.2%, 0.4% and 0.6%) in the diet of sheep as a natural additive on the intake and digestibility of nutrients, in addition to ruminal parameters. Four mixed breed sheep with an initial body weight of 25 kg were used, distributed in a Latin square experimental design (4x4). The diets were balanced with 12.0% crude protein (isoprotein) and 69.5% total digestible nutrients (isoenergetic). The studied variables were subjected to analysis of variance and the observed differences were determined by regression analysis considering 5% significance. The mean values obtained for the intake values expressed in kg animal-1 day-1 for DM; OM; CP; EE, NDF; ADF; TCH and CNF were 0.64; 0.60; 0.058; 0.011; 0.29; 0.19; 0.51; and 0.22, respectively. The mean values of the nutrient digestibility coefficients were 51.59; 64.92; 55.97; 76.86; 39.73; 30.68; 52.54; and 69.50%, respectively, for DM, OM, CP, EE, NDF, ADF, TCH, and NFC. No interaction effect was observed for the pH of the ruminal fluid; however, the pH value differed in relation to time. The concentration of N-NH3 in the ruminal fluid differed. The inclusion of up to 0.6% ginger in the diet of confined sheep does not alter the values of intake and nutrient digestibility coefficient; however, the inclusion of 0.4% ginger allows a higher concentration of N-NH3 in the ruminal fluid in the time interval of 2h12min after feeding, requiring the inclusion of rapidly fermented carbohydrates in the diet

Intake and growth performance of growing Uda rams fed diets containing different proportions of urea-treated millet husk as a replacement of cowpea husk

A sixty-three-day feeding trial investigated the nutrient intake and growth performance of growing Uda rams fed diets containing different proportions of urea-treated millet husk to replace cowpea husk. Sixteen growing Uda rams with a mean weight of 18 kg and aged 12 – 18 months were used for the study. Animals were balanced for weights and allotted into four dietary treatments with four (4) animals per treatment in a Completely Randomized Design. Urea-treated millet panicle husk proportions of 0:30, 10:20, 20:10, and 30:0 to replace cowpea husk was formulated as a complete diet consisting of wheat bran, cowpea husk, soybeans mill, and salt. The diets were designated as T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The animals were fed the complete diets ad libitum at 1.5% of individual body weight. Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance. Differences in means were compared using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. The results revealed that animals fed 10% and 20% Millet husk diet were better compared to those placed on 30% millet husk in terms of, dry matter intake, weight gain, and nutrient digestibility. The findings also show that Millet husk could be supplemented in the diets of sheep up to 20% without detrimental effects on the growth performance of Uda rams.

Meat quality of Santa Inês sheep fed forage palm (Opuntia ficus-indica, Mill) and water restriction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical composition, fatty acids, and sensory properties of meat from Santa Inês sheep fed forage palm in the diet and with water restriction. They used 42 non-castrated male Santa Inês lambs, with about 180 days of age and an average weight of 21.6 ± 2.2 kg, distributed in a completely randomized design with seven treatments and six repetitions, and the data were submitted to regression analysis, factorial (level × water), and contrast between the control treatment and others. The treatments consisted of the inclusion of spineless cactus (0, 30, 50, and 70%). In treatments containing cactus pear (36 animals), half of the animals were placed under voluntary water consumption restriction. According to the physicochemical characteristics analyzed, lipids suffered an increasing linear effect (p&lt;0.05) as they included spineless cactus in the diet of sheep. The control diet had the lowest percentage of lipids (2.44%). The inclusion of 50% cactus pear promoted a higher content of lipids (3.41), and restricting water intake resulted in higher lipid content (3.09). The inclusion of cactus pear and water restriction did not affect the profile of fatty acids in meat. In the studied sensory attributes (hardness, juiciness, flavor, color, aroma, and overall acceptability), only meat color suffered an increasing linear effect (p &lt; 0.05). With the inclusion of spineless cactus in the diet, the meat from the lambs received good grades from the panelists, showing good acceptability. This demonstrates that the cactus pear provides sufficient water and nutrients for animals, resulting in the deposition of intramuscular fat, thus becoming a good-quality meat.

Lupin Seed Supplementation as a Functional Feed Additive: In Vitro Ruminal Gas, Methane and Carbon Dioxide Production, Fermentation Kinetics, and Nutrient Degradability.

The inevitable enteric gas emission from ruminants is considered a modern-day problem from an environmental perspective. Addressing this problem requires nutritional approaches such as the use of phytogenic additives in ruminant diets. In this regard, lupin seed (LS) can be a useful additive due to its phytochemical constituents. Therefore, this study investigated the effects of lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) seed supplementation as a functional and sustainable feed additive in sheep diet (50:50 concentrate-to-forage ratio) on in vitro gas production (GP; mL/g DM), methane (CH4; mL/g DM) and carbon dioxide (CO2; mL/g DM) emissions, fermentation parameters, and nutrient degradability (g/kg DM incubated). Gas production and CH4 were measured per gram of incubated dry matter (DM), degradable DM (dDM), degradable neutral detergent fiber (dNDF), and degradable acid detergent fiber (dADF). Lupin seeds were included at 0 (control), 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2% of the diet. The seeds contained 3.27% essential oils (DM basis), with eucalyptol as the main phytochemical. The highest GP per gram of DM and dDM was observed (p < 0.01) with 2.0% LS supplementation level. While 1.0% LS had the highest GP per gram of dNDF, 0.5% lupin diet had the highest GP per gram of dADF. Asymptotic GP and CH4 emissions linearly and quadratically increased (p < 0.01) with increasing LS level, while lag time decreased. Despite increased CH4 production, the proportion of CH4 in total biogas was lower (p = 0.008) for LS treatments than the control, with the 0.5% LS showing the lowest CH4 proportion. Production of CO2 increased with lupin seed treatments, with 0.5% LS producing the highest proportion (p = 0.027). Degradability of DM, NDF, and ADF was greater (p < 0.01) for the high LS supplementation level, while 0.5% supplementation level decreased ADF degradability. Total short-chain fatty acids, acetic acid, and propionic acid increased (p < 0.05) with LS supplementation level, leading to a reduced acetate:propionate ratio. Rumen pH decreased (p = 0.036) with LS supplementation, while ammonia-N decreased (p = 0.045) and estimated metabolizable energy increased (p < 0.001) linearly. Calculated microbial protein synthesis (p = 0.005) and gas yield (p = 0.047) increased with LS supplementation level. LS supplementation at 2.0% of diet (DM basis) increased GP and CH4 emission (mL/g DM) and enhanced nutrient degradability, suggesting its potential use as a functional feed additive for ruminants when supplemented at a 2.0% level into diet.

Fatty Acids and Volatile Flavor Components of Adipose Tissue from Local Tibetan Sheep in Qinghai with Dietary Supplementation of Palm Kernel Meal (PKM).

Substituting traditional protein feed with palm kernel meal (PKM) in the diet of Tibetan sheep can be a cost-effective feeding strategy. To determine the impact of PKM on flavor development in different adipose tissues of Tibetan sheep, subjects were fed with 15% and 18% of PKM, while the control group received no PKM. The fatty acids and volatile compounds in the samples were then analyzed by GC-MS and HS-GC-IMS. Adding PKM to the diet significantly increased the C12:0, C14:0, C16:0 and C18:1N9 content in adipose tissues compared with the control, and most of these were associated with flavor formation (p < 0.05). The flavor compounds in the adipose tissues predominantly consisted of alcohols, ketones, acids and aldehydes. In particular, including PKM in the diet increased the proportion of ketones but decreased the proportion of alcohols, acids and aldehydes in subcutaneous and tail fat. Specifically, the proportion of acetone, acetoin monomer, 2,3-butanedione, 2-butanone monomer, 2-methyl-2-propanol, 2-methyl-2-propanol and methyl acetate increased significantly in the subcutaneous and tail fat (p < 0.05), while that of ethanol, 1-propanol monomer, butanol monomer, acetic acid monomer and acetic acid monomer decreased. Intermuscular fat exhibited variable results, mainly because the addition of PKM resulted in higher proportions of alcohols, including ethanol, 1-propanol and butanol monomer, especially at 15% PKM. In summary, the addition of PKM improved the flavor of Tibetan sheep fat and increased the amount of favorable volatile flavor compounds. This study can serve as reference for understanding the effects of dietary PKM on the adipose tissue flavor profile of Tibetan sheep.

Histological Changes of Selected Organs of West African Dwarf Sheep Fed Boiled Baobab Seed Meal Supplement

The histology of selected organs of twenty four (24) Male West African dwarf sheep was investigated. The animals were randomly distributed to four dietary treatments, each treatment had six (6) replicates in a completely randomised design, under a good animal procedures for twelve (12) weeks. Four (4) experimental diets T1, T2, T3 and T4 tagged Baobab Seed meal (BSM) at inclusion levels of 0%, 2%, 4% and 6%, respectively was offered to the experimental animals. Representative from each treatment was randomly selected and weighed before slaughter to collect selected tissue samples (testis, liver, spleen and tracheal) for histopathological examinations. The inclusion of BSM in the diet of WAD sheep at 4% caused a ruptured seminiferous tubules and release of immature sperm cells, with liver lesion that reflects large and small fat vacuoles (steatosis), a characteristic of focal nodular hyperplasia or hepatocellular carcinomia. The sinusoids were not well defined surrounded by eosinophilic particles. The results also showed the presence of normal lymphoid follicles with a germinal centre, cartilage of trachea with areas of hyaline chondrocytes depletion as well as loss of mucosa layers were observed for WAD sheep at 4% inclusion level. At 2% inclusion levels, normal characteristics of a normal animal were observed on selected tissue samples. The experimental diets at 2% inclusion levels showed normal seminiferous tubules with the release of mature sperm cells; no lesion was observed, the testis, liver, spleen and tracheal were all normal. 2% inclusion level of BSM had positive effects on the experimental animals and a such recommended for inclusion in the diets of WAD sheep.

Effects of guanidino acetic acid and betaine supplementation on growth, dietary nutrient digestion and intestinal creatine metabolism in sheep.

The intestine of young ruminants is in the developmental stage and has weaker resistance to the changes of external environment. Improving intestinal health is vital to promoting growth of young ruminants. This study investigated effects of guanidino acetic acid (GAA) and rumen-protected betaine (RPB) supplementation on growth, dietary nutrient digestion and GAA metabolism in the small intestine of sheep. Eighteen healthy Kazakh rams (27.46±0.10kg of body weight and 3-month old) were categorized into control, test group I and test group II, which were fed a basal diet, 1500mg/kg GAA and 1500mg/kg GAA+600mg/kg RPB, respectively. Compared with control group, test group II had increased (p<0.05) average daily gain, plasma creatine level, ether extract (EE) and phosphorus digestibility on day 30. On day 60, the EE apparent digestibility, jugular venous plasma GAA, GAA content in the duodenal mucosa and GAA content in the jejunal and ileal mucosa of test group II were higher (p<0.05) than other groups. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in the duodenal pathways of oxidative phosphorylation and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease were significantly altered in test group II versus test group I (p<0.05). Moreover, in the jejunum, the MAPK signalling pathway, complement and coagulation cascade and B-cell receptor signalling pathway were significantly enriched, with ATPase, solute carrier transporter protein, DHFR, SI, GCK, ACACA and FASN being the significantly DEGs (p<0.05). Dietary supplementation of RPB on top of GAA in sheep diets may promote sheep growth and development by improving the body's energy, amino acid, glucose and lipid metabolism capacity.

Dry distillers grain with high fiber solubles replacing corn grain in confined sheep diets

In Brazil, the meat production market has intensified, with more and more improvements being sought every day in the production system to maintain greater economic viability. Therefore, initially, there is greater attention to animal nutrition, using different food sources to ensure good animal performance. As a result, the search for alternative foods has been highlighted due to the good dietary energy components for ruminants. The objective was to evaluate inclusion levels of dried distillers grain with high fiber solubles (DDGS FS OURO®) in the diet of confined sheep regarding nutrient consumption characteristics. Eight animals of the Santa Inês breed were used, males, castrated, with an initial body weight of 30 kg, aged 7 months. The animals were distributed in a double 4x4 Latin square design, with 4 experimental periods of 21 days each, with 16 days of adaptation and 5 days for sample collection. The treatments consisted of the inclusion of 20, 40, 60 and 80% of DDGS high fiber in dry matter, in high concentrate diets. The inclusion of DDGS did not influence the consumption of DM (kg/day), DM (% BW), MO (kg/day) and CP (kg/day), with average values of 1.42; 3.55; 1.23 and 0.264, respectively. Regarding the consumption of NDF and iNDF, a linear increase can be noted with the inclusion of DDGS. The inclusion of dry distillers grain with high-fiber solubles favored a greater consumption of neutral detergent fiber without changing the consumption of dry matter, which for a high-concentrate diet would be interesting to reduce the risk of acidosis.

The efficiency of consumption and assimilation of nutrients of the diet feed, depending on the genotype and castration of young sheep

Relevance. As a result of the scientific and economic experience, materials were obtained characterizing the peculiarities of consumption and assimilation of nutrients in the diet of sheep, depending on genotypic affiliation and castration.Methodology. In order to perform the experiment, groups of experimental young animals were selected: I – Gypsy breed (sheep), II – ½ Tsigai × ½ edilbai (sheep), III – Tsigai breed (boulders), IV – ½ Tsigai × ½ edilbai (boulders).Results. The effect of genotype and castration on the amount of consumed and digested nutrients has been established, which in turn affects their digestibility in the body and the formation of meat products. It is enough to note that crossbred rams and boulders having the genotype ½ Qigai × ½ edilbai surpassed purebred analogues in consumption of dry matter by 237.6 g (14.5%) and 227.5 g (8.15), organic matter – by 220.4 g (14.55%) and 200.0 g (14.2%), in digestion (assimilation) dry matter by 173.0 g (16.1%) and 167.8 g (16.8%), organic matter by 158.9 g (15.5%) and 152.5 g (16.2%). At the same time, both purebred and crossbred boulders were characterized by the lowest indicators.

Effects of Low and High Maternal Protein Intake on Fetal Skeletal Muscle miRNAome in Sheep.

Prenatal maternal feeding plays an important role in fetal development and has the potential to induce long-lasting epigenetic modifications. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding, single-stranded RNAs that serve as one epigenetic mechanism. Though miRNAs have crucial roles in fetal programming, growth, and development, there is limited data regarding the maternal diet and miRNA expression in sheep. Therefore, we analyzed high and low maternal dietary protein for miRNA expression in fetal longissimus dorsi. Pregnant ewes were fed an isoenergetic high-protein (HP, 160-270 g/day), low-protein (LP, 73-112 g/day), or standard-protein diet (SP, 119-198 g/day) during pregnancy. miRNA expression profiles were evaluated using the Affymetrix GeneChip miRNA 4.0 Array. Twelve up-regulated, differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs) were identified which are targeting 65 genes. The oar-3957-5p miRNA was highly up-regulated in the LP and SP compared to the HP. Previous transcriptome analysis identified that integrin and non-receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase genes targeted by miRNAs were detected in the current experiment. A total of 28 GO terms and 10 pathway-based gene sets were significantly (padj < 0.05) enriched in the target genes. Most genes targeted by the identified miRNAs are involved in immune and muscle disease pathways. Our study demonstrated that dietary protein intake during pregnancy affected fetal skeletal muscle epigenetics via miRNA expression.

Ruminal microbiome and productive response of lambs fed shrimp shell meal

The fishing industry produces byproducts that accumulate and cause environmental pollution problems; however, could be used as an alternative source of nutrients in ruminants. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the response over ruminal microbiome, apparent digestibility and productivity of Katahdin lambs fed different levels of shrimp shell meal (HCC). Four male lambs with live weight of 22 ± 2.5 kg were assigned in a repeated Latin square design (4 animals x 4 treatments). The animals were assigned for 16 days per period to diets with 0, 5, 10 and 20 g 100 g DM of HCC, the treatments were: HCC0, HCC5, HCC10 and HCC20, respectively. The greatest daily weight gain was found in the HCC5 treatment (P ≤ 0.05). However, the highest dry matter intake was observed in animals with the HCC20 diet (P ≤ 0.05). In the apparent digestibility of the dry matter there was no difference between treatments (P &gt; 0.05), neither in the concentration of total bacteria (P &gt; 0.05), while the concentration of cellulolytic bacteria and chitin-degrading bacteria was higher in the animals from HCC20 treatment (P ≤ 0.05). The results indicate an adaptation of the ruminal microbiome to high doses of HCC, therefore, HCC can be used in diets for sheep without effect on rumen metabolism and microbial, nutrient digestibility and animal performance.

Illumina Sequencing and Metabolomic Analysis Explored the Effects of the Mixed Silage of Rice Straw and Chinese Cabbage Waste on Fecal Microorganisms and Metabolites in Hu Sheep

Silage is the most important component of a ruminant diet and has important production and health significance in ruminant production. The aim of the research was to investigate how the mixed silage of Chinese cabbage waste and rice straw (mixed silage) impacts the fecal microorganisms and metabolites in Hu sheep using Illumina sequencing and metabolomic analysis. A total of 16 Hu sheep (8 rams and 8 ewes) weighing about 39 kg and 5.5 months old were used as experimental sheep and divided into two groups (4 rams and 4 ewes, n = 8) using the principle of randomized trials: the control group with peanut sprouts, corn husks, and sorghum husks as roughage and the silage group with the mixed silage as roughage. There were no significant differences in the average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), or feed conversion rate (FCR) between the control group and the mixed silage groups (p &gt; 0.05). Microbiome results showed that 15 microorganisms such as Ruminococcaceae UCG 010, Breznakia, Erysipelothrix, Desulfovibrio, Succiniclasticum, and Shuttleworthia were significantly different between the two groups. In addition, metabolomics showed that the mixed silage modulated the concentrations and metabolic pathways of metabolites in the manure. Significantly different metabolites were mainly enriched in amino acid anabolism (“glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism”, “valine, leucine, and isoleucine biosynthesis”, “arginine biosynthesis”, etc.), nucleic acid metabolism (pyrimidine metabolism). In conclusion, the addition of mixed silage to the diet of Hu sheep can alter the structure of the hindgut microflora and regulate the metabolism of amino acids and nucleotides, which affects health performance.

Sainfoin can be included up to 40% in the concentrate of finishing lambs without impairing their performance, rumen fermentation, and carcass quality

Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is an excellent forage legume to be included in sheep diets as fresh forage, but its inclusion in concentrates fed to indoor lambs reared has been scarcely studied. This study evaluated the effects of including different levels of dehydrated sainfoin in the concentrates fed to light lambs during the finishing period on animal performance, ruminal fermentation, and carcass traits. Twenty–six weaned male Rasa Aragonesa lambs (14.0 ± 0.49 kg body weight) were randomly grouped and individually fed ad libitum with isoproteic and isoenergetic pelleted concentrates containing 0% (0SF; n=9), 20% (20SF; n=9) or 40% sainfoin (40SF; n=8) for 40 days, from weaning to slaughter. In addition, an in vitro assay was carried out to evaluate the concentrates. The 40SF lambs had a higher dry matter intake (P < 0.01) and tended to show an improvement in average daily gain (P < 0.10). The diet had no effect on carcass weight, dressing percentage, rectus abdominis color or subcutaneous caudal fat color (P > 0.05). Regarding the rumen study, the diet did not affect most ruminal fermentation parameters (P > 0.05), except for pH, which was greater in 40SF lambs than in 20SF lambs (P < 0.05), and the proportion of acetic acid and the acetic:propionic ratio, both of which were higher in 40SF and 20SF lambs than in 0SF lambs (P < 0.01). The results from the in vitro assay showed that the 40SF diet decreased the in vitro dry matter degradability, increased propionic, and decreased butyric proportion compared to 0SF concentrate (P < 0.05), but no effect was obtained for gas, methane, total volatile fatty acids, and ammonia formation among diets (P > 0.05). The lack of detrimental effects on lamb performance and carcass traits suggests that the inclusion of up to 40% sainfoin in the concentrate of light lambs reared indoors would be advisable to promote the use of local forages.