This study aimed to determine the effects of the direct oral administration of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) essential oil on the growth performance, blood serum biochemistry and muscle fatty acid profile of lambs. For this purpose, an experiment was designed where pure lavender oil was administered individually to each animal via a syringe (excluding the control group). The study was conducted over 63 d, including a 7 d acclimatisation period and a 56 d experimental period, utilising 36 male Kangal Akkaraman lambs (12 weeks old, with an average initial body weight of 27.26 ± 3.06 kg). The lambs were randomly assigned to three experimental groups (12 lambs per group) and fed the same basal diet ad libitum: Control (0 mg lavender oil per animal per day), Lav1000 (1000 mg lavender oil per animal per day) and Lav2000 (2000 mg lavender oil per animal per day). No statistically significant differences were observed among the groups regarding initial and final body weights, daily live weight gain, feed intake and the feed conversion ratio (p > 0.05). Among the serum biochemical parameters, a statistically significant difference was detected exclusively in amylase and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels (p < 0.05). In the fatty acid composition analysis, statistically significant differences were observed in cis-10-heptadecenoic acid, cis-11-eicosenoic acid and arachidic acid concentrations in the lavender-supplemented groups compared to the control group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, determining the optimal dosage and administration method of lavender oil can provide critical insights for future research aimed at enhancing performance parameters, rumen fermentation, animal health and product quality in small ruminants.
This study evaluated the effects of maternal L-carnitine supplementation on the growth performance, metabolic profile, and physiological responses of neonatal rabbits. A total of 160 5-month-old nulliparous pregnant New Zealand White does (2.84 ± 0.05 kg) were randomly assigned to four treatments: control (no supplementation) and L-carnitine-supplemented groups at 100, 200, and 300 mg L−1 in drinking water. Supplementation was provided throughout gestation and lactation to assess maternal carry-over effects on offspring. Neonatal growth performance was monitored through litter size, body weight, and average daily gain (ADG). Blood samples from neonates were collected during weeks 1, 2, and 3 for biochemical, hormonal, and oxidative stress analyses. Data were analysed using one-way ANOVA under a completely randomised design. Results showed that maternal L-carnitine supplementation improved litter performance and neonatal growth, with the highest body weight and ADG observed in the 300 mg L−1 group. Serum glucose levels were significantly elevated in the highest supplementation group across all weeks. Cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations were not significantly affected. Aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) were reduced in the LC-300 group during later weeks, suggesting improved hepatic status. Cortisol levels remained unchanged among treatments. However, triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4) concentrations were significantly enhanced, particularly at higher supplementation levels, indicating improved metabolic activity. Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were not significantly influenced, suggesting no adverse effect on oxidative status. In conclusion, maternal L-carnitine supplementation, particularly at 300 mg L−1, enhances the growth performance and metabolic efficiency of neonatal rabbits without negatively affecting physiological health.
Awassi sheep are widely raised in semi-arid regions due to their adaptability to harsh environmental conditions, while the Cukurova Meat Sheep (CMS) breed was developed to improve meat production and carcass characteristics. However, information comparing the growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and nutritional composition of these breeds under the same fattening conditions remains limited. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality parameters in male Awassi and CMS lambs reared under identical feeding and management conditions. The study included 20 single-born male lambs (10 Awassi, 10 CMS) of similar age and live weight. The animals were allocated by breed and randomly assigned to five pens per breed, with two lambs per pen. After a 2-week adaptation period, the lambs were fattened for 10 weeks on an 80:20 concentrate–roughage diet. At the end of the fattening period, all animals were slaughtered, and some physical and chemical analyses of the meat were performed on the longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle. The results showed no significant breed differences in live weights or daily gains (p>0.05), while feed intake and carcass weights were higher in Awassi lambs (p<0.05). CMS lambs had higher muscle weight and proportion in some carcass parts, such as the forearm, rib, loin, and rump (p<0.05). Except for the chroma value of the raw meat, no differences were observed in the pH, color, textural properties, or most chemical components of the meat. Potassium (K) and magnesium (Mg) concentrations were significantly higher in CMS lambs than in Awassi lambs (p<0.01), whereas no significant breed differences were observed for the other minerals (p>0.05). Furthermore, crude protein, arachidonic acid, and taurine levels were significantly higher in CMS meat (p<0.05). These findings indicate that, although meat quality characteristics are generally comparable between the two breeds, CMS lambs offer advantages in terms of higher protein content and certain amino acid and fatty acid components in their meat.
The aim of this study is to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with acacia foliage, a tannin source, and feeding systems on Barbarine lambs' growth, carcass traits, and meat quality under grazing and feedlot conditions. Twenty-eight male lambs (5-month-old, 22.5 ± 3.6 kg) were divided into four groups based on body weight (BW) and assigned to one of four diets for a 60 d trial. Two groups were raised in stalls (S) and fed hay and concentrate, while two grazed on pasture (P) with the same concentrate supplementation. Within each system, one group received 100 g of Acacia cyanophylla daily (S-T, P-T), and the other did not (S-0T, P-0T). Pasture-fed lambs had higher total daily intake, average daily gain (ADG) and slaughter body weight than stall-fed lambs. Carcass weights and dressing percentages were also higher for grazing lambs. Tannin supplementation did not affect carcass traits or meat quality. Grazing lambs showed more developed red organs and higher fat deposition. Meat quality, including pH, color, chemical composition and sensory attributes, was similar across groups. Low doses of dietary tannins improved growth and dressing percentages when combined with a low-tannin diet but reduced growth rates when basal diets were tannin-rich. These findings suggest that dietary tannins' effects depend on the basal diet's composition.
This study was conducted to evaluate the potential use of Viburnum opulus L. (VO) fruit as a phytogenic feed additive in the diets of Japanese quails (Coturnix coturnix japonica) and its effects on egg quality parameters and egg yolk cholesterol concentration. A total of 176 Japanese quails aged 30 weeks were used in the study. They were allocated into 4 main groups with 11 replicates, each consisting of 3 females and 1 male. The experimental groups consisted of the control (VOFP0) and the VOFP5, VOFP10, and VOFP15 groups, which received the basal diet supplemented with Viburnum opulus L. fruit powder (VOFP) at 0, 5, 10, and 15 g kg−1, respectively. The experiment lasted for 8 weeks. According to the results, dietary VOFP supplementation had no statistically significant effects on the quails' body weight, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio (FCR) (P>0.05). The absence of adverse effects on growth performance parameters suggests that VOFP was well tolerated under the conditions of this study. The lowest total feed consumption was recorded in the VOFP15 group, whereas the addition of VOFP5 resulted in the highest total egg weight (1828.60 g). Evaluation of egg quality parameters showed that VOFP supplementation improved selected internal egg quality parameters. The dose of VOFP5 significantly increased egg yolk height and yolk index compared with the control group (P<0.01). Regarding shell characteristics, VOFP supplementation reduced shell weight, whereas no adverse changes were observed in shell thickness and breaking resistance. Egg yolk cholesterol concentration showed VOFP supplementation numerical reductions at several sampling points; however, a statistically significant decrease was observed only in the sixth week in the VOFP15 group compared with the control group (P<0.05). In conclusion, the inclusion of VOFP5 in quail diets improved selected egg internal quality parameters, while VOFP15 showed a potential cholesterol-modulating effect, with a significant reduction observed only in the sixth week of the experiment. Considering the limited information available on VOFP supplementation in poultry nutrition, these findings provide preliminary evidence regarding the potential use of VOFP as a phytogenic feed additive and support further investigations into its effects on egg quality characteristics and potential functional properties of eggs.
