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Ren C, Zhang X, Wei H, Wang S, Wang W, He L, Lu Y, Zhang K, Zhang Z, Wang G, Huang Y. Effect of Replacing Alfalfa Hay with Common Vetch Hay in Sheep Diets on Growth Performance, Rumen Fermentation and Rumen Microbiota. Animals (Basel) 2024; 14:2182. [PMID: 39123708 PMCID: PMC11310988 DOI: 10.3390/ani14152182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 07/24/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this study was to determine whether the inclusion of 40% of common vetch (CV) hay as a feed ingredient in place of alfalfa hay (AH) would improve performance and ruminal fermentation and microbiota in fattening lambs. Twenty lambs were equally divided into two groups: control group (fed 40% AH with 20% rice straw) and CV group (fed 40% CV hay with 20% rice straw). Concerning hay quality, CV hay had greater in vitro digestibility of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber (p < 0.05) than AH. Lambs fed the CV diet had a higher average daily gain (ADG) and efficiency of feed and economy than lambs fed the control group. The NH3-N content and estimated methane produced per unit of ADG of the CV diet group were significantly lower (p < 0.05) than control group. Multiple differential microbial genera were identified, with Prevotella being the most dominant genus and a tendency towards higher (p = 0.095) in lambs offered CV diet. The higher Ruminococcus abundance (p < 0.05) was found in animals of the CV group compared to the control group. In summary, CV can be incorporated into lamb diets as a low-cost forage alternative to AH to improve feed efficiency and animal performance and to reduce methane produced per unit of ADG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunhuan Ren
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Xiaoan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
- National Agricultural Green Development Long-Term Fixed Observation Yingshang Test Station, Fuyang 236200, China
- Center of Agriculture Technology Cooperation and Promotion of Dingyuan County, Chuzhou 233200, China
| | - Huiqing Wei
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Sunze Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Wenjie Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Li He
- New Rural Development Research Institute, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China;
| | - Yuan Lu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Kefan Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
| | - Zijun Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
- Center of Agriculture Technology Cooperation and Promotion of Dingyuan County, Chuzhou 233200, China
| | - Guanjun Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
- National Agricultural Green Development Long-Term Fixed Observation Yingshang Test Station, Fuyang 236200, China
| | - Yafeng Huang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural University, Hefei 230036, China; (C.R.); (X.Z.); (H.W.); (S.W.); (W.W.); (Y.L.); (K.Z.); (Z.Z.)
- Center of Agriculture Technology Cooperation and Promotion of Dingyuan County, Chuzhou 233200, China
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Diaz J, Coffey K, Coblentz W, Philipp D, Niyigena V. Intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance by sheep offered ensiled tall fescue, meadow fescue or orchardgrass that was fertilized with dairy slurry or urea. Anim Feed Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.anifeedsci.2022.115447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Wang J, Cheng L, Chaudhry AS, Khanaki H, Abbasi IHR, Ma Y, Abbasi F, Guo X, Zhang S. Silage Mixtures of Alfalfa with Sweet Sorghum Alter Blood and Rumen Physiological Status and Rumen Microbiota of Karakul Lambs. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:2591. [PMID: 36230332 PMCID: PMC9559280 DOI: 10.3390/ani12192591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The study investigated the effects of feeding mixtures of alfalfa (AF) and sweet sorghum (SS) at different ratios of silages in terms of the physiological status of blood and rumen, and rumen microbiota in lambs. A total of 30 four-month-old male Karakul lambs with 25.5 ± 1.4 kg mean initial body weight were randomly allocated to five groups, with six lambs in each group. Five experimental diets containing 40% of one of the five AF−SS mixed silages (containing 0%, 20%, 40%, 60%, and 80% AF on a fresh weight basis, respectively) and 60% of other ingredients were formulated. Overall, the results showed that the mixed silage with more AF tended to increase serum antioxidant capacity, dry matter (DM) intake, and rumen fermentation metabolites. The AF−SS mixed silages containing AF at 60% and 80% caused a significant linear increase (p < 0.05) in the activity of total antioxidant capacity. The superoxide dismutase in the Karakul lamb responded with significant linear and quadratic increases (p < 0.01) as the ratio of AF was increased in the AF−SS mixed silages. Feeding diets with AF in silage mixtures at the ratio of 60% significantly increased (p < 0.05) the concentration of ruminal total volatile fatty acids (tVFA), acetate, and ammonia-N. However, no statistical significance (p > 0.05) was found in the alpha diversity of rumen microbes among the tested groups (p > 0.05). Principal coordinates analysis could clearly discriminate the differences between the five groups (p = 0.001). The relative abundance of Firmicutes in the rumen were significantly higher with AF at 40% in the AF−SS silage-based diet than those with AF at 0%, and 20% ratios. The abundance of Ruminococcus_albus had a significant linear increase (p < 0.05), as the ratio of AF in the AF−SS mixed silages was increased. In conclusion, the best beneficial effect on the physiological status of the blood and rumen, DM intake, and rumen microbiota in lambs came from those that consumed the diet containing the AF−SS mixed silage with 60% AF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiao Wang
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
| | - Long Cheng
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Dookie College 3647, Australia
| | - Abdul Shakoor Chaudhry
- School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 7RU, UK
| | - Hassan Khanaki
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Dookie College 3647, Australia
| | - Imtiaz H. R. Abbasi
- Department of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Animal Production and Technology, Cholistan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Yi Ma
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Dookie College 3647, Australia
- Laboratory of Metabolic Manipulation of Herbivorous Animal Nutrition, College of Animal Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Farzana Abbasi
- Faculty of Chemical and Biological Sciences, The Islamia University, Bahawalpur 63100, Pakistan
| | - Xuefeng Guo
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
| | - Sujiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, College of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China
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