Small Ruminant Research最新文献

{"title":"Integrated multi-omics unveils rapid shifts in rumen bacterial community, gene expression, and metabolite profiles of lambs in response to weaning stress","authors":"Xiaobiao Cui ,&nbsp;Shun Wu ,&nbsp;Yuqin Wu,&nbsp;Lili Niu,&nbsp;Jiaxue Cao,&nbsp;Siyuan Zhan,&nbsp;Linjie Wang,&nbsp;Jiazhong Guo,&nbsp;Li Li,&nbsp;Hongping Zhang,&nbsp;Tao Zhong","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107658","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107658","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In intensive system, early weaning directly impacts lamb growth performance and enterprise profitability. However, the changes from milk to solid feed and abrupt desperation with ewes easily trigger weaning stress, especially causing a notable decline in immunity. The impacts of early weaning (EW) on lamb rumen microbiota, metabolites, and gene expression remain poorly characterized. Thus, this study assessed the host response to early weaning in lambs. Compared to per-weaning Hu lambs, the composition of the ruminal microbiota was found to be altered, with the abundance of <em>Firmicutes</em> ranged from 60.00 % to 65.00 % in post-weaned lambs. <em>Prevotella</em> remained the dominant genus, and its abundance increased by approximately 2.56 % after weaning. While the relative abundance of the <em>Lachnospiraceae</em> NK3A20 group significantly declined, proposing this reduction leading to weakened anti-inflammatory responses and compromised immune function in EW lambs. The ruminal DEGs were predominant enrichment in the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. Notably, the <em>LPAR1</em> gene, mediating stress adaptation candidate gene, was highly expressed after weaning. Furthermore, the cortisol in rumen fluid was significantly upregulated (over 1.5-fold) in EW lambs and was enriched in four pathways: aldosterone-regulated sodium reabsorption, Cushing's syndrome, prostate cancer, and cortisol synthesis and secretion. In addition, we found the above changes were correlated, particularly involving the <em>Lachnospiraceae</em> NK3A20 group, O-phosphoserine, and the <em>LPAR1</em> gene. The present study reveals that early weaning disrupts ruminal microbial balance, notably by reducing the abundance of the <em>Lachnospiraceae</em> NK3A20 group, alters metabolite profiles, including O-phosphoserine, and induces differential expression of stress related genes, such as <em>LPAR1</em>, that converge on the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway. These findings provide mechanistic insights into how early weaning compromises rumen health and immune function in lambs.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107658"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570629","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of supplemental feeding behavior in Katahdin lambs divergently selected for fecal egg count estimated breeding value","authors":"Nicole K. Valliere-Kopetzky ,&nbsp;Donald L. Wright ,&nbsp;Scott P. Greiner ,&nbsp;Scott A. Bowdridge ,&nbsp;Andrew R. Weaver","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107667","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107667","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Genetic selection and nutritional supplementation are potential methods to mitigate the impact of parasitism in sheep. Understanding feeding behavior of growing lambs divergently selected for parasite resistance (LowFEC) or susceptibility (HighFEC) using the fecal egg count (FEC) estimated breeding value (EBV) may help quantify the interaction of genetic selection and supplemental feeding on parasitism. Over two years [Year 1 (Y1) and Year 2 (Y2)], LowFEC Katahdin ewes (Y1: n = 52; Y2: n = 40) were randomly bred to LowFEC Katahdin rams (Y1: n = 3; Y2: n = 3) and HighFEC Katahdin ewes (Y1: n = 48; Y2: n = 50) were randomly bred to HighFEC Katahdin rams (Y1: n = 3; Y2: n = 3). Prior to weaning (Y1: 76 d; Y2: 92 d), pairs were managed as one contemporary group on fescue-based pasture. At weaning, a subset of LowFEC (Y1: n = 27; Y2: n = 37) and HighFEC (Y1: n = 24; Y2: n = 40) lambs were randomly assigned to a dry-lot feeding trial. During this time, lambs received ad libitum supplementation of a concentrate pellet (16 % CP, 76 % TDN) via the SmartFeeder (SSFeeder). Harvested mix-grass forages were also provided ad libitum. Throughout the feeding trial in both years, frequency of SSFeeder visits and daily supplemental intake were collected via the SSFeeder and supplemental feed:gain (S:G) was calculated. Fecal egg counts, body weights, average daily gain (ADG), and FAMACHA scores were collected biweekly. Fecal egg counts and FAMACHA scores were collected to verify reduced parasite burden on dry-lot after being managed on pasture pre-weaning. In Y1, LowFEC lambs tended to have greater daily supplemental feed intakes (<em>P</em> = 0.06), while no differences existed between genotypes in Y2. No differences existed between genotypes for number of daily SSFeeder visits or S:G in either year. In Y2, LowFEC lambs had greater ADG than HighFEC lambs (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). In both years, LowFEC lambs had lower FECs compared to HighFEC lambs (<em>P</em> = 0.05). These results indicate that selection for LowFEC EBV does improve parasite resistance and FEC EBV had inconsistent effects on supplemental feed intake and growth.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107667"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681574","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of genetic and maternal effects on growth traits and trends in Sonadi sheep","authors":"Priya Jangir ,&nbsp;Lokesh Gautam","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107656","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107656","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study estimated the genetic parameters, maternal effects, and temporal trends of growth traits in Sonadi sheep. Records from 1785 lambs collected between 2010 and 2024 at the Mega Sheep Seed Project (Sonadi Unit), Navania, Udaipur, were analyzed using Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) in WOMBAT using six univariate animal models. The traits studied were birth weight (BW) and body weights at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months (W3, W6, W9, and YW). After accounting for fixed effects, Model 2 was identified as the best fit for BW, incorporating direct and maternal genetic effects without covariance, with a direct heritability of 0.22 ± 0.05 and maternal heritability of 0.06 ± 0.02. For W3, W6, W9, and YW, Model 1 with direct additive effects alone provided biologically consistent direct heritability estimates of 0.30 ± 0.05, 0.27 ± 0.05, 0.26 ± 0.05, and 0.39 ± 0.05, respectively. Phenotypic trends, estimated by regressing yearly means on birth year, were positive for all traits, with W3 showing the highest annual gain (0.46 ± 0.10 kg/year). Genetic trends, obtained by regressing average EBVs on birth year, indicated consistent improvement, particularly for YW (0.33 ± 0.07 kg/year). Strong genetic correlations were observed among post-weaning weights, including W3–W6 (0.91 ± 0.04), W6–W9 (0.88 ± 0.04), and W9–YW (0.92 ± 0.02), confirming their shared genetic basis. These results indicate that while maternal effects are important in early growth, reliable post-weaning improvement can be achieved through selection at three to six months of age.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107656"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570633","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Biochemical parameters of lambs under frequent treatment with antiparasitic association","authors":"Hornblenda Joaquina Silva Bello ,&nbsp;José Gabriel Gonçalves Lins ,&nbsp;Naiara Mirelly Marinho da Silva ,&nbsp;Ana Cláudia Alexandre de Albuquerque ,&nbsp;Mônica Regina Vendrame Amarante ,&nbsp;Regina Kiomi Takahira ,&nbsp;Alessandro F.T. Amarante","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107662","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107662","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study evaluated renal and hepatic biochemical parameters of lambs under frequent treatment with antiparasitic drugs associations against gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and <em>Oestrus ovis</em>. Thirty-nine lambs were allocated into three groups: Group 1 target selective treatment (TST, n = 13): treated with the albendazole, levamisole and monepantel against GIN only when hematocrit &lt; 23 % and body weight loss occurred; group 2 suppressive treatment (ST1, n = 13): all lambs were treated with the same anthelmintics of TST group against GIN every 28 days regardless of clinical indicators; and group 3 suppressive treatment (ST2, n = 13) all lambs were treated with the same anthelmintics against GIN, plus closantel against <em>O. ovis</em> infestation, every 28 days. Blood samples were collected to assess renal (urea, creatinine) and hepatic (enzymes aspartate aminotransferase-AST) and alamine aminotransferase-ALT) functions. Eleven lambs from the TST required treatment throughout the experiment. No clinical signs of intoxication as a result of the treatment with antiparasitic combinations administered at 28-day intervals, nor were any changes detected in the biochemical variables analyzed. Furthermore, the mean values of urea, creatinine, AST and ALT for all groups remained within the established reference ranges. These results demonstrate that the combined administration of albendazole, levamisole, monepantel and closantel at 28-day intervals was safe for lambs, without adverse effects on hepatic or renal function. The findings support the safety of using these drug associations in parasite control strategies for small ruminants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107662"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145681576","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecological factors modulate seropositivity to Toxoplasma gondii in family-managed goat herds from northern Argentina","authors":"Analía Josefina Mazzuca Pizetti,&nbsp;Ricardo Sarmiento,&nbsp;Olga Sánchez Negrette","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107663","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107663","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> is a globally distributed protozoan of public and veterinary health importance. It causes reproductive losses in small ruminants and poses zoonotic risks, particularly in family-managed goat production systems. This study estimated the seroprevalence of <em>T. gondii</em> in rural goats from Salta Province (north-western Argentina) and evaluated ecological drivers of infection. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in 38 herds across three geographical regions (West, Central, East). Sera from 453 adult goats were analyzed by indirect immunofluorescence assay (cut-off ≥ 1:100). Altitude, annual precipitation and basic management data were recorded per herd. Overall seroprevalence reached 37.7 % (171/453) with wide between-herd variability (0–90 %). Median within-herd prevalence differed descriptively among regions, but one-way ANOVA showed no significant differences (p = 0.28). Therefore, logistic regression was applied to evaluate ecological predictors of infection and revealed that goats located at 1001–2000 m had nearly four-fold higher odds of seropositivity than those above 2000 m (OR = 3.88; 95 % CI 2.14–7.03). Similarly, rainfall of 801–1200 mm increased odds more than four times relative to arid areas (&lt; 400 mm; OR = 4.15; 95 % CI 2.22–7.75). These findings indicate intense local circulation of <em>T. gondii</em> and highlight altitude and precipitation as key environmental predictors. Integrating these variables into risk models could improve surveillance and guide control strategies for vulnerable goat production systems in subtropical environments.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107663"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615613","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Polymorphisms of XKR4 and ANGPTL4 genes and their association with growth traits in Hu sheep","authors":"Qijia Dai ,&nbsp;Xiaobin Yang ,&nbsp;Qi Zhang ,&nbsp;Chengqi Yan ,&nbsp;Lianjun Feng ,&nbsp;Yukun Zhang ,&nbsp;Deyin Zhang ,&nbsp;Zongwu Ma ,&nbsp;Yanchao Li ,&nbsp;Hongmei Hou ,&nbsp;Tong Cai ,&nbsp;Bo Ma ,&nbsp;Peiliang Cao ,&nbsp;Guoxing Jia ,&nbsp;Jian Zhang ,&nbsp;Fadi Li ,&nbsp;Weimin Wang ,&nbsp;Huibin Tian","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107665","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107665","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Growth traits are among the key economic indicators in sheep production. <em>XKR4</em>, repeatedly linked to growth and energy metabolism, and <em>ANGPTL4</em>, a regulator of lipid partitioning and muscle development, were prioritized as candidates for growth-trait association in Hu sheep. This study aimed to investigate the expression levels of the <em>XKR4</em> and <em>ANGPTL4</em> genes in various tissues of Hu sheep and assess the associations between their polymorphisms and growth traits in Hu sheep, with the objective of identifying potential molecular markers for growth traits improvement. A synonymous mutation (g.35950652 C &gt; T) in <em>XKR4</em> and a mutation in intron (g.14750067 T &gt; A) in <em>ANGPTL4</em> were identified by PCR amplification and Sanger sequencing. Genotyping of these two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were performed in 996 male Hu sheep using the Allele-Specific Quantitative PCR based genotyping assay (AQP) genotyping technique, followed by association analysis with growth traits. The results showed that <em>XKR4</em> g.35950652 C &gt; T was significantly associated with body weight (80–180 days), body height (100–180 days), and chest circumference (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05), while <em>ANGPTL4</em> g.14750067 T &gt; A was significantly associated with body weight and chest circumference (80–180 days), as well as cannon circumference (120–140 days) (<em>P</em> &lt; 0.05). Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) was conducted to determine the relative expression level of <em>XKR4</em> and <em>ANGPTL4</em> in ten tissues: heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney, rumen, duodenum, muscle, lymph, and tail fat. The <em>XKR4</em> gene showed the highest expression level in the heart, and relatively low expression level in the other nine tissues. In contrast, <em>ANGPTL4</em> was most abundantly expressed in the liver, followed by tail fat and muscle, with low expression level in the remaining tissues. In conclusion, these two SNPs may serve as promising candidate molecular markers for the genetic improvement of growth traits in Hu sheep.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107665"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Nutrient utilization and ruminal fermentation in wethers fed high-grain pelleted diets formulated with different fibrous by-products","authors":"Veridiana Basoni Silva ,&nbsp;Lucas Santiago Gomes Brasileiro ,&nbsp;Hemilly Cristina Menezes de Sá ,&nbsp;Gilberto de Lima Macedo Júnior ,&nbsp;Fernando Antônio de Souza ,&nbsp;Débora Fernandes Vieira Soares ,&nbsp;Eduardo Robson Duarte ,&nbsp;Luciano Soares de Lima ,&nbsp;Iran Borges","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107657","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107657","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study assessed the effects of pelleted diets containing different fiber sources on nutrient utilization and ruminal fermentation in wethers. Five wethers with ruminal cannulae were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design to test five pelleted diets with sugarcane bagasse (SCB), alfalfa hay (ALH), dried citrus pulp (CPP), soybean hulls (SBH), and a mix of all four fiber sources (POOL). Feed and water intake, nitrogen balances, and ruminal fermentation were assessed. Dry matter intake was not affected by the type of fiber. Crude protein digestibility was higher for the CPP diet compared to the ALH and SBH diets. Nitrogen retention and gross energy digestibility were similar across all treatments. The SBH diet resulted in the most pronounced and sustained drop in pH, reaching values below 5.8. The CPP diet maintained a more stable pH, followed by the SCB, ALH, and POOL diets, which also maintained relatively stable ruminal conditions. Total VFA concentration did not differ among treatments, but the CPP diet had a higher acetate proportion compared to the SBH diet. The molar proportion of propionate was highest when wethers were fed SBH and SCB diets. In conclusion, although pelleting ensured uniform intake, the choice of fiber source significantly influenced ruminal fermentation. Citrus pulp emerged as the most suitable option, supporting favorable protein digestibility and a stable ruminal environment, whereas soybean hulls resulted in the least desirable outcomes. All diets containing the fiber sources provided comparable digestible energy.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107657"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570636","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The inclusion of black cumin meal in the diet of Awassi ewes during the nursing period: A performance investigation","authors":"Ja'far Al-Khaza'leh ,&nbsp;Belal Obeidat","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107664","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107664","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study consisted of two trials to determine the effect of black cumin meal (BCM; <em>Nigella sativa</em> L.) on the milk characteristics, nutrient intake and digestibility of Awassi ewes as well as the pre-weaning growth of their suckling lambs. Two different diets were used: 0 % BCM (CON) and 20 % BCM (BCM20) of dietary dry matter (DM). In the first trial, 28 ewes were randomly assigned to one of the two dietary treatments (14 ewes/diet). In the second trial, 10 ewes were randomly selected (5 ewes/diet) to assess the digestibility of nutrients. In trial 1, the BCM20 diet led to an increased intake of neutral detergent fibre, ether extract (EE) and metabolisable energy compared to the CON diet. Moreover, DM and acid-detergent fibre intake tended to be higher in the BCM20 diet compared to the CON diet. The lambs’ growth performance in the BCM20 group was greater (p ≤ 0.05) than that in the CON group. Milk yield, milk protein and lactose production were also higher (p ≤ 0.05) in the BCM20 diet. The cost of milk production was significantly higher for the CON diet than for the BCM20 diet. Compared to the CON diet, ewes in the BCM20 group showed a higher energy-corrected milk value. In trial 2, the digestibility of DM, crude protein and EE was significantly higher (P ≤ 0.05) for ewes fed the BCM20 diet. This study highlights the potential of including 20 % BCM as an alternative for expensive components in the diet of Awassi sheep.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107664"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145615671","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The effect of Asparagopsis oil supplementation level on tissue residues and meat quality of Merino sheep fed high- or low-quality basal diets","authors":"Charlotte Adam ,&nbsp;Emma Doyle ,&nbsp;Jillian Dawson ,&nbsp;Frances Cowley ,&nbsp;Nigel Tomkins ,&nbsp;Lewis Kahn ,&nbsp;James Preston ,&nbsp;Daniel Korir Sitienei ,&nbsp;Matthew Tom Harrison ,&nbsp;Benjamin W.B. Holman","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107659","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107659","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The use of antimethanogenic feed additives in ruminant diets is gaining attention as a strategy to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. <em>Asparagopsis spp.</em> (Asparagopsis), a red alga which naturally contains bromoform (CHBr₃), has demonstrated methane abatement potential in small ruminants. In large ruminants, previous research has shown equally promising results for Asparagopsis supplementation in the diet and its minimal effects on CHBr₃ residue and meat quality. This study aimed to address the limited knowledge on sheep meat characteristics for Asparagopsis-oil supplementation. Merino wethers were administered 100 g of supplementary pellets daily with increasing levels of formulated Asparagopsis-oil (A0: 0 mg CHBr₃/kg DM; A1: 36 mg CHBr₃/kg DM; A2: 72 mg CHBr₃/kg DM; A3: 108 mg CHBr₃/kg DM and A4: 144 mg CHBr₃/kg DM) and fed either a high- or low-quality chaff diet. After a 119-d feeding period, 20 wethers (<em>n</em> = 2 per treatment) were slaughtered. Carcasses were evaluated, and meat and offal samples were collected for residue and meat quality testing. Bromoform was not detected in meat or offal samples (at a minimum detection level of &lt; 0.1 mg/kg wet matter basis). The kidneys contained the greatest detectible concentrations of bromide and iodine. The inclusion of Asparagopsis-oil had no impact on cooking loss, pH ultimate and intramuscular fat in <em>longissimus lumborum</em> and <em>semimembranosus</em> muscles. Similarly, supplementation of Asparagopsis-oil had no effect on any color parameters. The results from this study demonstrate that the use of Asparagopsis-oil in supplementary pellets in sheep diets does not compromising meat quality and there is minimal residue risk, but studies with a greater sample size are required to confirm this. A mitigation approach using Asp-oil can produce meat that meets industry standards without compromising quality or residue safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107659"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of increasing levels of physically effective neutral detergent fibre on growth performance, feeding behaviour, and carcasses and gut characteristics of feedlot lambs fed ground corn","authors":"Nathalia Rubio Eckermann ,&nbsp;Matheus Sousa de Paula Carlis ,&nbsp;Janaina Socolovski Biava ,&nbsp;Jamile Haddad Comelli ,&nbsp;Daniel Montanher Polizel ,&nbsp;José Paulo Roman Barroso ,&nbsp;Diogo Fleury Azevedo Costa ,&nbsp;Vinícius N. Gouvêa ,&nbsp;Alexandre Vaz Pires ,&nbsp;Evandro Maia Ferreira","doi":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107655","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.smallrumres.2025.107655","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study evaluated the effect of increasing levels of forage physically effective neutral detergent fiber (_pefNDF) on performance of feedlot lambs fed ground corn-based diets. The experimental design was a randomized complete block (grouping 6 treatments into 10 blocks), defined by initial BW and age at the beginning of the experiment. The experimental treatments were defined by the inclusion of forage _pefNDF at 0 (0_pefNDF); 26 (26_pefNDF); 52 (52_pefNDF); 78 (78_pefNDF); 104 (104_pefNDF) and 130 (130_pefNDF) g/kg DM of a flint corn-based diet. The source of the forage was coast cross (<em>Cynodon sp.</em>) hay. There was a quadratic effect for dry matter intake [DMI (kg/d; P = 0.03)] and average daily gain [ADG (P &lt; 0.01)], peaking at 78_pefNDF. However, the feed efficiency (FE) decreased linearly (P = 0.03) with increasing _pefNDF levels. Intake time increased linearly (P &lt; 0.001), but rumination (P &lt; 0.0001) and chewing times (min/d) (P &lt; 0.001) showed a quadratic effect, with the greatest values observed at 78_pefNDF when expressed in min/g DM. The slaughter body weight (SBW) showed a quadratic effect (P &lt; 0.01), with the greatest values observed for 78_pefNDF. However, the greatest (P &lt; 0.01) hot carcass weight (HCW) and hot carcass yield (HCY) were observed for lambs fed a diet 52_pefNDF. Diets containing ground flint corn as the main energy source for feedlot lambs can be formulated with smaller _pefNDF levels than found in the literature, from 52 to 78 g/kg DM of _pefNDF, depending on the objective.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":21758,"journal":{"name":"Small Ruminant Research","volume":"254 ","pages":"Article 107655"},"PeriodicalIF":1.4,"publicationDate":"2026-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145570635","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}