Affiliation:
1. Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China
2. Inner Mongolia Academy of Agricultural and Animal Husbandry Sciences, Hohhot, China
Abstract
Sown mixed grassland is rarely used for livestock raising and grazing; however, different forages can provide various nutrients for livestock, which may be beneficial to animal health and welfare. We established a sown mixed grassland and adopted a rotational grazing system, monitored the changes in aboveground biomass and sheep weights during the summer grazing period, measured the nutrients of forage by near-infrared spectroscopy, tested the contents of medium- and long-chain fatty acids by gas chromatography, and explored an efficient sheep fattening system that is suitable for agro-pastoral interlacing areas. The results showed that the maximum forage supply in a single grazing paddock was 4.6 kg DM/d, the highest dry matter intake (DMI) was 1.80 kg DM/ewe/d, the average daily weight gain (ADG) was 193.3 g, the DMI and ADG were significantly correlated (P < 0.05), and the average feed weight gain ratio (F/G) reached 8.02. The average crude protein and metabolizable energy intake by sheep were 286 g/ewe/d and 18.5 MJ/ewe/d respectively, and the n-6/n-3 ratio of polyunsaturated fatty acids in mutton was 2.84. The results indicated that the sheep fattening system had high feed conversion efficiency, could improve the yield and quality of sheep, and could be promoted in suitable regions.
Funder
Inner Mongolia Science and Technology Project
Central Public-interest Scientific Institution Basal Research Fund
CARS
Reference33 articles.
1. Effect of dietary concentrate to forage ratio on the fatty acid composition of the meat and fat tissues of lambs;An;Pratacultural Science,2018
2. Fatty acid composition of goat muscles and fat depots: a review;Banskalieva;Small Ruminant Research,2000
3. Combatting global grassland degradation;Bardgett;Nature Reviews Earth & Environment,2021
4. Relationship between progeny residual feed intake and dam productivity traits;Basarab;Canadian Journal of Animal Science,2007