Effects of different roughage ratios on growth performance,serum biochemical indexes,slaughter performance,and nutrient apparent digestibility of mutton sheep

QI Peng; WANG Xiaowei; GAO Wei; WANG Yuqi; ZHU Shaohui; XIAO Fayi; HAN Weihua; QI Yanjun

doi:10.13557/j.cnki.issn1002-2813.2025.03.002

Abstract：The experiment aimed to investigate the effects of different roughage ratios on growth performance,serum biochemical indexes,slaughter performance,and nutrient apparent digestibility of'Dorper × Hu × Suffolk'three crossbred mutton sheep.Thirty-six healthy male lambs of similar age and body condition were randomly divided into three groups,with four replicates per group and three lambs per replicate.The control group received alfalfa,corn stalk,and rice straw in a ratio of 3∶5∶2.Test group Ⅰ had a ratio of 4∶4∶2,and test group Ⅱ used a ratio of 5∶3∶2.After a three-day adaptation period,the formal trial lasted 27 days.The results showed that the average daily gain of test groupⅡ was extremely higher than that of test group Ⅰ and control group(P＜0.01),the final weight was significantly higher than that of test group Ⅰ and control group(P＜0.05),and the ratio of feed to gain of test groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ was significantly lower than that of control group(P＜0.05).The serum urea nitrogen,glucose,and total protein concentrations of test group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those of test group Ⅰ(P＜0.05),and the serum urea nitrogen,glucose,and total protein concentrations of test group Ⅰ were significantly higher than those of control group(P＜0.05).The live weight before slaughter,slaughter rate,and carcass weight of test group Ⅱ were significantly higher than test group Ⅰ and control group(P＜0.05),and the eye muscle area of test groups Ⅰ and Ⅱ was significantly higher than that of control group(P＜0.05).The apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein in test group Ⅱ were significantly or extremely higher than that test group Ⅰand control group(P＜0.05 or P＜0.01).The results show that the ratio of alfalfa,corn straw and straw to 5∶3∶2 can improve the growth performance and slaughter performance of mutton sheep,and improve the metabolic capacity and nutrient apparent digestibility of mutton sheep.