Effects of feeding <i>Melilotus albus</i> on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality of Hu sheep

作者：Mahmoud Kamal, Yaxiong Cao, Jian Gao, N. Li, Xinrui Zhao, Lijun Chen, Jiyu Zhang, Yanfen Cheng · 发表于：Animal Advances · 年份：2025 · DOI：10.48130/animadv-0025-0008 · 被引用次数：5 · 研究领域：Ruminant Nutrition and Digestive Physiology、Animal Nutrition and Physiology、Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock

This investigation sought to evaluate the effects of Melilotus albus ( M. albus ) instead of alfalfa hay on Hu sheep's growth performance, carcass traits, and physiological parameters. Twenty Hu sheep were randomly distributed into two dietary trials (n = 10) and fed a basal diet ad libitum for 80 d. One group was given a diet containing M. albus , while the other was given the basal diet, which involved alfalfa hay. According to the study, there were no significant differences in FBW, BWG, F/G, nutrition effectiveness, digestible energy, or ruminal papillae growth between animals fed alfalfa hay and M. albus . The research found no significant differences in pH, microbial protein, acetate, propionate, valerate, and acetate/propionate among treatments but significantly lower NH 3 -N, total volatile fatty acid, butyrate, and lactate levels in alfalfa hay animals. Also, the study revealed that animals fed M. albus had higher shear force in the longissimus dorsi but no significant differences in meat quality parameters like pH, water-holding capacity, brightness, and yellowness. Dynamic changes in microbial communities were discovered. Feeding M. albus affects the β diversity index but not the α diversity index. The LEfSe analysis revealed higher Firmicutes and Proteobacteria abundances in M. albus compared to alfalfa, as well as higher genus abundances of Ruminococcus, Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, and uncultured Marinifilaceae. Although me...