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Assessment of Components Associated with Average Daily Gain of Finishing Lambs Fed with Two Roughage Sources Using
Junnan Ma1, Shuzhen Wang1, Daiyi Yang1
1Key Laboratory of Feed Biotechnology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Feed Research of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China.
Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI
|May 13, 2026
Summary
Extruded rapeseed straw (ERS) improves average daily gain (ADG) in Hu lambs by enhancing amino acid and energy metabolism. This study reveals key metabolic pathways and biomarkers associated with higher ADG in lambs fed ERS compared to peanut vine hay.
Area of Science:
- Agricultural Science
- Animal Nutrition
- Metabolomics
Background:
- Agricultural by-products like rapeseed straw and peanut vine have low digestibility, limiting their use in ruminant production.
- Extrusion processing can improve roughage quality, but its metabolic effects on animal growth are not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the metabolic mechanisms underlying the improved average daily gain (ADG) in Hu lambs fed extruded rapeseed straw (ERS).
- To identify key metabolites and metabolic pathways affected by ERS feeding in different biological matrices.
Main Methods:
- 24 Hu lambs were fed either ERS (n=12) or peanut vine hay (PVH) (n=12).
- Metabolites were analyzed in rumen fluid, serum, liver, and muscle.
- Metabolomic analysis identified significantly different metabolites and pathways between the two feeding groups.
Main Results:
- Hu lambs fed ERS showed significantly greater ADG during the late finishing stage (60-90 days).
- A total of 1186 metabolites were identified across four biological matrices.
- Nine significant metabolic pathways were identified, including amino acid, energy, and carbohydrate metabolism.
Conclusions:
- ERS feeding enhances amino acid and energy metabolism in Hu lambs, leading to improved protein deposition and energy utilization.
- Specific metabolites and pathways identified serve as biomarkers for higher ADG in lambs fed ERS.
- Extrusion processing is a viable method to improve the nutritional value of rapeseed straw for ruminant production.
