Effects of compound Chinese herbal medicine on growth performance,serum biochemical indexes,and intestinal microbiota of beef cattle
ZHANG Dianxin
GENG Bo
LIU Hui
LIU Tingyu
QIU Xiaodong
Abstract：This experiment aimed to investigate the effects of different levels of compound Chinese herbal medicine on the growth performance,serum biochemical indexes,and intestinal microbiota in beef cattle.A total of 64 healthy 12-month-old Simmental beef cattle with similar body condition were randomly divided into four groups,with eight replicates per group and two cattle per replicate.The control group was fed a basal diet,while compound Chinese herbal medicine groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 0.2％(group 0.2),0.4％(group 0.4),and 0.8％(group 0.8)of compound Chinese herbal medicine,respectively.The pre-trial period lasted for one week,and the formal trial period lasted for eight weeks.The results showed that compared with the control group,gain weight and average daily gain in group 0.4 were significantly increased(P＜0.05),and feed-to-gain ratio was significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Serum levels of globulin and total protein in groups 0.4 and 0.8 were significantly increased(P＜0.05),while urea nitrogen and triglyceride were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).Serum aspartate aminotransferase activity and low-density lipoprotein content in group 0.4 were significantly decreased(P＜0.05).The Simpson index of intestinal microbiota in compound Chinese herbal medicine groups was significantly increased(P＜0.05).The relative abundance of Bacteroidetes in compound Chinese herbal medicine groups was significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the relative abundance of Bacillus in groups 0.2 and 0.4 was significantly increased(P＜0.05),and the relative abundance of Firmicutes in group 0.4 was significantly increased(P＜0.05).The relative abundance of Prevotella in the intestinal of group 0.4 was significantly increased(P＜0.05),while the relative abundance of Succiniclasticum in groups 0.4 and 0.8 was significantly decreased(P＜0.05),and the relative abundance of Succinivibrio was significantly increased(P＜0.05).The study shows that supplementing 0.4％compound Chinese herbal medicine in the diet of beef cattle can effectively improve growth performance,serum biochemical indexes,and intestinal microbiota community structure,with the best comprehensive application effect.
Keywords：compound Chinese herbal medicinebeef cattlegrowth performancebiochemical indexesintestinal microbiota
Publication Date：2025-11-28
Online Publishing Date：2026-01-23(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：5( 13-17 )