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Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition
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Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition

A special issue of Animals (ISSN 2076-2615). This special issue belongs to the section "Small Ruminants".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 8561

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Aser García-Rodríguez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Campus Agroalimentario de Arkaute s/n, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 01192 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Interests: ruminant fermentation; feed additives; digestibility
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Idoia Goiri

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Campus Agroalimentario de Arkaute s/n, NEIKER-Basque Institute for Agricultural Research and Development, Basque Research and Technology Alliance (BRTA), 01192 Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain
Interests: rumen microbiome; methane; feed additives; digestibility; ruminant fermentation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Population in the world is growing at a rate of around 0.84% per year. According to FAO estimates, by 2050 we will need to produce 60% more food to feed a world population of 9.3 billion. Ruminants play a key role in human food production by converting fiber-rich plant resources and non-protein nitrogen into high-quality food that humans can eat. In particular, small ruminants play an important role in the food and nutritional security of millions of rural people especially the landless, marginal and small farmers in arid and semiarid rainfed regions. This conversion causes methane emissions and losses of nitrogen in feces and urine from ruminants, which may become an environmental issue. Consequently, the dominant productive models with an emphasis on a narrow range of crops and use of chemicals, energy and capital cannot meet the challenges of this millennium. Agriculture and livestock, therefore, are at the heart of the solution.

Original manuscripts that address improving small ruminant production efficiency using nutritional interventions such as manipulating rumen microbial ecosystem, strategic supplementation of nutraceuticals, improving the bioavailability of nutrients at the cellular level, forage production throughout the year and production of hydroponics green fodders, and the use of by-products are welcome.

Dr. Aser García-Rodríguez
Dr. Idoia Goiri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Animals is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • production efficiency

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

13 pages, 692 KiB  
Article
Effects of Dam and Sire Breeds on Lamb Carcass Quality and Composition in Pasture-Based Systems
by S. Maggie Justice, Elliot Jesch and Susan K. Duckett
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3560; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223560 - 18 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1222
Abstract
This study explored the impacts of sire and dam breed on carcass quality and composition in a pasture-based system and the use of DXA to rapidly rank carcasses for leanness. Southdown (SD) and Suffolk (SF) ewes were mated to Texel (TX) or SD [...] Read more.
This study explored the impacts of sire and dam breed on carcass quality and composition in a pasture-based system and the use of DXA to rapidly rank carcasses for leanness. Southdown (SD) and Suffolk (SF) ewes were mated to Texel (TX) or SD rams to produce seventy-nine lambs. Lambs were raised on pasture-based systems with limited grain supplementation. Lamb birth weight was greater (p < 0.01) for TX, regardless of dam breed. Lambing rate was lower (p < 0.01) for SD than SF ewes. Circulating myostatin concentrations were greater (p < 0.05) on d 42 than d 75 or d 110 but did not differ by sire breed. Texel-sired lambs had greater (p < 0.01) carcass weight, ribeye area and quality grade compared to SD-sired. Total and primal fat mass as predicted from DXA was higher (p < 0.05) in carcasses from SD than TX sires. Muscles from TX lambs had greater (p < 0.05) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) composition than SD-sired. Shear force values were influenced (p < 0.01) by dam breed, muscle cut and postmortem age but not by sire breed. The use of TX sires in pasture-based systems improved carcass leanness and muscle PUFA concentrations without altering tenderness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition)
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11 pages, 288 KiB  
Article
The Effect of Monensin vs. Neem, and Moringa Extracts on Nutrient Digestibility, Growth Performance, Methane, and Blood Profile of Merino Lambs
by Danah A. Du Preez, Abiodun Mayowa Akanmu, Festus Adeyemi Adejoro and Abubeker Hassen
Animals 2023, 13(22), 3514; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13223514 - 14 Nov 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2431
Abstract
Plant secondary compounds are potential rumen modifiers that can improve nutrient utilization in ruminant animals. This study evaluated the effect of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extracts on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and enteric methane production [...] Read more.
Plant secondary compounds are potential rumen modifiers that can improve nutrient utilization in ruminant animals. This study evaluated the effect of Moringa (Moringa oleifera) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaf extracts on nutrient digestibility, growth performance, and enteric methane production in South African Mutton Merino lambs. Forty 4-month-old ram lambs with a mean body weight of 35 ± 2.2 kg were blocked by weight and from each block, lambs were randomly allocated into one of the following treatments: (i) diet only (fed a total mixed ration TMR-negative control), (ii) Monensin (fed TMR containing Monensin sodium, 15 mg/kg DM), (iii) Moringa (fed TMR, drenched with Moringa extract 50 mg/kg feed DM intake), and (iv) Neem (fed TMR, drenched with Neem extract 50 mg/kg DM intake). Extracts were administered via oral drenching at a concentration determined based on the previous week’s feed intake. There were no differences in dry matter intake, average daily gain, feed conversion efficiency, digestibility, and nitrogen retention across the treatments. However, the extracts tended to reduce methane emitted both in g/head/day (p < 0.08) and g/ kg dry matter intake (p < 0.07). Extracts did not influence any of the blood metabolites in the ram lambs. Although the benefits of utilizing these medicinal plants as rumen modifiers under prolonged feeding conditions is justified, further evaluation is recommended to test Moringa and Neem leaf extracts at higher inclusion levels. Our research group is currently exploring a variety of phytogenic tools for the identification and standardization of key bioactive compounds linked to methane inhibition, in these leaf extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition)
16 pages, 653 KiB  
Article
Effects of Duration of Calcium Propionate Supplementation in Lambs Finished with Supplemental Zilpaterol Hydrochloride: Productive Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Quality
by Octavio Carrillo-Muro, Alejandro Rivera-Villegas, Pedro Hernandez-Briano, Marco Antonio Lopez-Carlos and Alejandro Plascencia
Animals 2023, 13(19), 3113; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13193113 - 6 Oct 2023
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1287
Abstract
Forty-five male non-castrated crossbred Dorper lambs (40.17 ± 0.35 kg body weight, BW) were employed in a completely randomized design with five treatments to investigate the effects of the duration of calcium propionate (CaPr) supplementation (10 g CaPr/lamb/d for 0, 14, 28, or [...] Read more.
Forty-five male non-castrated crossbred Dorper lambs (40.17 ± 0.35 kg body weight, BW) were employed in a completely randomized design with five treatments to investigate the effects of the duration of calcium propionate (CaPr) supplementation (10 g CaPr/lamb/d for 0, 14, 28, or 42 d before slaughter) on lambs finished with zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH, 7.2 mg/lamb/d for a fixed period of 28 d before slaughter) regarding their productive performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. Treatments consisted of the following: (1) No additives (CTL), (2) 0 days on CaPr plus 28 d on ZH, (3) 14 days on CaPr plus 28 d on ZH, (4) 28 days on CaPr plus 28 d on ZH, and (5) 42 days on CaPr plus 28 d on ZH. When compared with CTL, ZH lambs exhibited a similar average daily gain (ADG) but had lower dry matter intake (DMI), leading to increased feed efficiency. Supplementing with ZH alone did not affect carcass traits, visceral mass, whole cuts, or meat quality. Lambs that received both CaPr 28 d and ZH exhibited quadratic increases (p < 0.05) in final body weight (FBW), ADG, and dressing percentage (D%). These increases were optimal at estimated inclusion durations of 26 d for FBW, 30 for ADG, and 39 d for D%. The ADG:DMI ratio and the longissimus muscle area (LMA) both exhibited quadratic increases (p < 0.05). The optimal duration of CaPr supplementation for ADG:DMI ratio was found to be 28 d, while for LMA, it was 14 d. As the period of CaPr supplementation increased, there was a linear increase (p < 0.05) in hot carcass weight, leg circumference, and whole cuts of breast IMPS209 and shoulder IMPS207. Cook loss percent increased quadratically (p < 0.05), and was higher when CaPr was included for an estimated duration of 26 d. As the duration of CaPr supplementation increased, the purge loss percentage (PRL) also increased linearly (p < 0.05). In conclusion, including CaPr in the diet for a duration of 28 d in lambs improved the response to ZH supplementation on the productive performance, carcass weight, and some whole cuts. However, it can also have a negative effect on PRL%. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition)
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13 pages, 353 KiB  
Article
Effect of Combining the Ionophore Monensin with Natural Antimicrobials Supplemented in the Last Phase of Finishing of Lambs: Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics, and Carcass Characteristics
by Alfredo Estrada-Angulo, Lucía de G. Escobedo-Gallegos, Yesica J. Arteaga-Wences, Jorge L. Ramos-Méndez, Jesús A. Quezada-Rubio, Claudia A. Vizcarra-Chávez, Yissel S. Valdés-García, Alberto Barreras, Richard A. Zinn and Alejandro Plascencia
Animals 2023, 13(16), 2547; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13162547 - 8 Aug 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1572
Abstract
With the aim of evaluating the effect of combining an antibiotic ionophore with plant extracts and probiotics on the productive efficiency (performance and carcass) during the last phase of lamb fattening, 24 Pelibuey × Katahdin male lambs (38.47 ± 3.92 kg, initial weight) [...] Read more.
With the aim of evaluating the effect of combining an antibiotic ionophore with plant extracts and probiotics on the productive efficiency (performance and carcass) during the last phase of lamb fattening, 24 Pelibuey × Katahdin male lambs (38.47 ± 3.92 kg, initial weight) were fed with a high-energy diet during for 56 days, and assigned, under a complete randomized block design experiment to one of the following supplement treatments: (1) 28 mg of monensin/kg diet DM supplemented alone (MON), (2) combination of MON plus 2 g/kg diet of a product contained Bacillus subtilis 2.2 × 108 CFU kg diet DM (MON + BS), (3) combination of MON + BS plus 300 mg essential oils/kg diet DM (MON + BS + EO), and (4) BS alone. At the end of the feeding trial (56-d), lambs were slaughtered and carcass variables were measured. Compared to the rest of the treatments, combining MON with BS improved dietary NE by 3.4% and the efficiency of utilization of dietary energy consumed. Inclusion of EO in the MON + BS combination resulted in a similar average daily weight gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (GF) when compared with MON + BS, but showed a lower dietary net energy (NE), hot carcass weight, and dressing percentage. Lambs receiving BS alone showed greater average ADG and dry matter intake (DMI) than lambs receiving MON + BS + EO, but similar feed GF and dietary NE. There were no treatment effects on tissue composition, whole cut, or visceral organ mass. It was concluded that combining probiotics with the ionophore monensin can improve the efficiency of dietary energy utilization in the last phase of finishing. Probiotics supplemented alone result in greater ADG without a difference in dietary energy efficiency when compared with MON alone. Inclusion of EO in the MON + BS combination did not show advantages; on the contrary, it reduced carcass weight and dressing percentage. It is necessary to further research the potential complementary effects of combining diverse sources of natural additives with synthetic antibiotics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition)
14 pages, 774 KiB  
Article
Essential Oils Combined with Vitamin D3 or with Probiotic as an Alternative to the Ionophore Monensin Supplemented in High-Energy Diets for Lambs Long-Term Finished under Subtropical Climate
by Lucía de G. Escobedo-Gallegos, Alfredo Estrada-Angulo, Beatriz I. Castro-Pérez, Jesús D. Urías-Estrada, Elizabeth Calderón-Garay, Laura Ramírez-Santiago, Yissel S. Valdés-García, Alberto Barreras, Richard A. Zinn and Alejandro Plascencia
Animals 2023, 13(15), 2430; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13152430 - 27 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1519
Abstract
Supplementation with natural additives such as essential oils (EO) or probiotics has resulted in comparable growth performance to that of supplemental monensin in fattening lambs in hot environments. Supra-supplementation levels of vitamin D3 improved the carcass weight and dressing percentage of steers fattened [...] Read more.
Supplementation with natural additives such as essential oils (EO) or probiotics has resulted in comparable growth performance to that of supplemental monensin in fattening lambs in hot environments. Supra-supplementation levels of vitamin D3 improved the carcass weight and dressing percentage of steers fattened under tropical conditions. We hypothesized that certain combinations of these natural additives could be complementary. For this reason, a feeding trial was carried out using 48 Pelibuey × Katahdin non-castrated male lambs (107 ± 14 d age; 17.9 ± 2.51 kg LW). Lambs were fed an 88:12 concentrate to forage ratio basal diet supplemented (dry matter basis, DMI) with: (1) no additive (CON); (2) 28 mg monensin/kg diet (MON); (3) 150 mg of essential oils containing a combination of thymol, eugenol, vanillin, guaiac, and limonene plus 0.12 mg vitamin D3 (EO + D3)/kg diet; and (4) 300 mg of essential oils containing a combination of carvacrol and cynamaldehyde plus 2 g probiotic (2.2 × 108 CFU of bacillus subtilis/kg diet, EO + BS). Lambs were grouped by initial weight and assigned within six weight groupings to 24 pens (2 lambs/pen, 6 replicas per treatment) in a randomized complete block design. The experiment lasted 121 days. Daily maximal THI exceeded the 80 “danger or “emergency” range for 119 days of the 121 days of the trial. Lambs supplemented with MON had similar DMI, growth performance, and dietary energetics to those of CON lambs. Lambs supplemented with EO + BS had a greater (9.2%, p ≤ 0.05) average daily gain (ADG) than the CON and MON groups due to enhanced (10.2%, p ≤ 0.05) dry matter intake. Thus, gain efficiency (GF) and estimated dietary energy were similar for CON, MON, and EO + BS. Lambs receiving EO + D3 had similar (0.254 vs. 0.262 kg/d) ADG but a lower DMI (8%, p < 0.05) compared with EO + BS lambs. Consequently, GF and estimated dietary net energy were greater (4.9 and 3.7%, respectively; p ≤ 0.05) for EO + D3 lambs. Even when ambient heat load was elevated, the efficiency of utilization of dietary energy (observed-to-expected dietary net energy) was close to 1.00 (0.992) expected for EO + D3 lambs. In contrast, efficiency of energy utilization was depressed by −4.4% for lambs on the other treatments. Compared with the other treatments, lambs receiving EO + D3 had greater longissimus muscle area (5.6%, p < 0.05) and lower kidney pelvic fat (21.8%, p ≤ 0.05). There were no treatment effects on shoulder tissue composition or whole cuts (expressed as % of cold carcass weight). Compared to CON, lambs that were fed with natural additives showed 3.5% lower (p ≤ 0.05) intestine mass. All supplemental additives decreased visceral fat mass, which was minimal with EO + D3 treatment. Combinations of essential oils with vitamins or probiotics were superior to antibiotic monensin in finishing diets for feedlot lambs. Combining EO with probiotics promoted DM intake and gain but not gain efficiency, while combining EO with vitamin D3 supra-supplementation increased dietary energy efficiency and improved some carcass characteristics in lambs fattening under high ambient heat loads. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Small Ruminant Nutrition)
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