Effects of organic trace minerals chelated with oligosaccharides on growth performance, blood parameters, slaughter performance and meat quality in sheep.

Abstract

The present study assessed the effects of oligosaccharide-chelated organic trace minerals (OTM) on the growth performance, digestive enzyme activity, blood parameters, slaughter performance, and meat quality indexes of mutton sheep. A total of 60 East Ujumuqin &#xd7; small-tailed Han crossbred mutton sheep were assigned to two groups (10 duplicates per group) by body weight (26.12&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;3.22&#x2009;kg) according to a completely randomized design. Compared to the CON group, the results of the OTM group showed: (1) no significant changes in the initial body weight, final body weight, dry matter intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio (&#x2009;>&#x2009;0.05); (2) the activities of trypsin, lipase, and amylase in the jejunum were significantly increased (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05); (3) serum total protein, albumin, and globulin of the blood were significantly increased (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05), and the growth factor interleukin IL-10 was significantly higher (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05), while IL-2, IL-6, and &#x3b3;-interferon were significantly lower (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05). Immunoglobulins A, M, and G were significantly higher (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05); (4) the live weight before slaughter, carcass weights, dressing percentage, eye muscle areas, and GR values did not differ significantly (&#x2009;>&#x2009;0.05); (5) shear force of mutton was significantly lower (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05), while the pH, pH, drip loss, and cooking loss did not show a significant difference (&#x2009;>&#x2009;0.05). The content of crude protein was significantly higher (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05), while the ether extract content was significantly reduced (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05), but no significant difference was detected between moisture and ash content; (6) the total amino acids, essential amino acids, semi-essential amino acids, and umami amino acids were significantly increased (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05). Although umami amino acids were not significant, the total volume increased (&#x2009;>&#x2009;0.05). Among these, the essential amino acids, threonine, valine, leucine, lysine in essential amino acids and arginine were significantly increased (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05). Also, non-essential amino acids, glycine, serine, proline, tyrosine, cysteine, and aspartic acid, were significantly higher (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05). The content of alanine, aspartate, glutamic acid, phenylalanine, and tyrosine in umami amino acids was significantly higher (&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05).