Effects of Yucca extract on production performance,rumen fermentation,nitrogen emission,immune,and antioxidant capacity of finishing cattle
WANG Yanan
XU Yiran
TANG Zhaohui
ZHOU Yinghao
SONG Lianjie
LI Suxia
GUO Jianjun
ZHANG Hongwei
Abstract：This study aimed to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with Yucca extract on the production performance,nutrient apparent digestibility,nitrogen emission,immune,and antioxidant capacities in finishing cattle.Two pens of Simmental cattle in the late finishing stage with similar body weights were selected,with each pen serving as one group(24 replicates per group,one cattle per replicate).The control group was fed a basal diet,while the experimental group received the basal diet supplemented with 4 g/(head·d)of Yucca extract.The pre-test period is one week and the formal test period is nine weeks.Results showed that the final body weight and average daily gain of cattle in the experimental group were extremely higher than those in the control group(P＜0.01),and the feed-to-gain ratio was extremely lower(P＜0.01).The apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber in the experimental group was extremely higher(P＜0.01).Nitrogen retention and nitrogen utilization efficiency were significantly improved in the experimental group(P＜0.05).The concentrations of ruminal propionic acid and total volatile fatty acids were extremely increased in the experimental group(P＜0.05).Compared to the control group,the plasma total antioxidant capacity of the experimental group was significantly reduced(P＜0.05),while plasma immunoglobulin G content was significantly elevated(P＜0.05).This study shows that Yucca extract can enhance the growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility of beef cattle,increase nitrogen deposition and nitrogen utilization rate,improve immunity and antioxidant capacity,strengthen rumen fermentation function.
Keywords：Yucca extractfinishing cattleproduction performanceimmuneantioxidationnitrogen emission
Publication Date：2025-06-16
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 12-16 )