1. Effect of different levels of alfalfa and hay on growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, slaughter performance and serum biochemical indexes of meat donkey.
- Author
-
REN Hong, GERILE Qi-muge, SHEN Ying-chao, and ZHANG Xin-zhuang
- Subjects
ALFALFA as feed ,NUTRIENT density ,DONKEYS ,EYE muscles ,HAY as feed ,SLAUGHTERING ,ALFALFA - Abstract
The experiment was to analyze the effect of different levels of alfalfa and hay on growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, slaughter performance and serum biochemical indexes of meat donkey. 80 healthy 12-month-old hybrid meat donkeys with a weight of (188.21± 5.50) kg were randomly divided into four groups, with 20 replicates in each group and one donkey in each replicates. The donkeys in control group (group 1) were fed with 100% hay. The donkeys in group 2, group 3 and group 4 were fed with 25% alfalfa +75% hay, 50% alfalfa +50% hay and 75% alfalfa + 25% hay, respectively. The experiment lasted for 140 d. The results showed that the final weight and average feed intake of meat donkeys in experimental groups were higher than those in group 1 (P>0.05), the average daily gain of meat donkeys in group 3 and group 4 was significantly higher than that in group 1, and the feed to gain ratio was significantly lower than that in group 1 (P<0.05). The apparent digestibility of dry matter and ether extract of meat donkeys in experimental groups were higher than that in group 1 (P>0.05), and the apparent digestibility of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of meat donkeys in group 3 and group 4 were significantly higher than that in group 1 (P<0.05). The pre-mortem live weight and slaughter rate of meat donkeys in the three experimental groups were higher than those in group 1 (P>0.05), the carcass weight and eye muscle area of meat donkeys in group 3 and group 4 were significantly higher than those in group 1, and GR value was significantly lower than that in group 1 (P<0.05). The serum ALB content of experimental groups was higher than that of group 1, and the activity of ALT and the content of BUN were lower than that of group 1 (P>0.05), the content of TP in serum of meat donkey in group 3 and group 4 was significantly higher than those in group 1 (P<0.05), and the activity of AST and the content of TC were significantly lower than those in group 1 (P<0.05). The experiment indicates that the mixed diets in group 3 and group 4 can improve the growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, slaughter performance, and serum biochemical indexes of meat donkeys, and the recommended supplemental level is 50% alfalfa + 50% hay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2022
- Full Text
- View/download PDF