Title: Effects of Allium mongolicum Regel supplementation on the digestibility, methane production and antioxidant capacity of Simmental calves in northwest China

Authors: Kaili Xie¹, Zhaofeng Wang¹, Yongjia Wang, Chunmei Wang, Shenghua Chang, Cheng Zhang, Wanhe Zhu , Fujiang Hou*

Journal: Animal Science Journal（农林科学3区, IF₂₀₁₈= 1.41）

Doi: 10.1111/asj.13392

Abstract: This study evaluated the effects of Allium mongolicum Regel (AM) supplementation on nitrogen (N) balance, ruminal fermentation, and antioxidant properties. Sixteen-male-calves were assigned randomly to four groups, and the four were added with 0 (CON), 200mg/kg (body weight; BW) (Low AM; LA), 400mg/kg (BW) (Middle AM; MA) or 800mg/kg (BW) (High AM; HA) per day for each individual. AM was added on dry matter (DM) basis. The experiment lasted for 58 days. Supplementation of AM could significantly increase average daily gain, DM digestibility, acid detergent fibre digestibility, and retained N/Intake N. N digestibility and molar proportion of propionate in the MA and HA treatments were higher than that in the CON treatment (P<0.05),respectively. AM supplementation significantly increased the molar concentration of total volatile fatty acid in the rumen fluid (P<0.05). The ratio of acetate to propionate in the MA and HA groups was lower than that in the CON treatment (P<0.05). Furthermore, AM supplementation significantly reduced methane (CH₄) (P<0.05) emissions. AM supplementation significantly increased the activities of superoxide dismutase. The MA group could significantly increase the activities of glutathione peroxidase and decrease the content of malondialdehyde. Our results indicated that AM supplementation could affect the nutrient digestibility, CH₄ emission and antioxidant capacity of Simmental calves.

文章链接：https://doi.org/10.1111/asj.13392