Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau
Abstract Background To optimize animal production systems for future sustainability, research now focuses on improving feed quality to enhance livestock performance. Here, we test the impact on goat metabolism of varying leaf proportions in the alfalfa component of an alfalfa–maize diet. Methods In...
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Wiley
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Grassland Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70009 |
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| author | Yuhong Jiang Jieyan Zhou Xianjiang Chen Ying Kang Tianhai Yan Fujiang Hou |
| author_facet | Yuhong Jiang Jieyan Zhou Xianjiang Chen Ying Kang Tianhai Yan Fujiang Hou |
| author_sort | Yuhong Jiang |
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| description | Abstract Background To optimize animal production systems for future sustainability, research now focuses on improving feed quality to enhance livestock performance. Here, we test the impact on goat metabolism of varying leaf proportions in the alfalfa component of an alfalfa–maize diet. Methods In a pen‐feeding experiment, 16 three‐month‐old goats were divided into eight groups, four of which were fed a ration containing 40% alfalfa with leaves intact (LI) and four of which were fed an otherwise identical diet containing stemmy alfalfa (leaves removed, LR). Results As expected, LR reduced protein intake compared to LI (48.3 vs. 93.3 g d−1; p < 0.001) and increased acid detergent fiber intake (239 vs. 167 g d−1; p < 0.001), but neutral detergent fiber and dry matter digestibility did not differ between LR and LI. The LR group had lower gross energy, digestible energy, and metabolizable energy intakes than the LI group (p = 0.080, 0.030, and 0.022, respectively). Retained nitrogen for LI and LR was 2.30 and 1.72 g d−1, respectively. Body weight gain was 74 g d−1 in LI and 52 g d−1 in LR (p < 0.001). Conclusions These results highlight that even where alfalfa is only one component of a mixed diet, the nutritive quality and leaf content of the alfalfa component are important to animal performance. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-37b1d751881a4f4dacb812dc36ebd014 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2097-051X 2770-1743 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Grassland Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-37b1d751881a4f4dacb812dc36ebd0142025-08-20T03:31:06ZengWileyGrassland Research2097-051X2770-17432025-06-014214015010.1002/glr2.70009Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess PlateauYuhong Jiang0Jieyan Zhou1Xianjiang Chen2Ying Kang3Tianhai Yan4Fujiang Hou5State Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University Lanzhou Gansu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University Lanzhou Gansu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University Lanzhou Gansu ChinaState Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University Lanzhou Gansu ChinaAgri‐Food and Biosciences Institute Hillsborough UKState Key Laboratory of Herbage Improvement and Grassland Agro‐Ecosystems, Key Laboratory of Grassland Livestock Industry Innovation, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Engineering Technology Research Center for Ecological Restoration and Utilization of Degraded Grassland in Northwest China, National Forestry and Grassland Administration College of Pastoral Agriculture Science and Technology, Lanzhou University Lanzhou Gansu ChinaAbstract Background To optimize animal production systems for future sustainability, research now focuses on improving feed quality to enhance livestock performance. Here, we test the impact on goat metabolism of varying leaf proportions in the alfalfa component of an alfalfa–maize diet. Methods In a pen‐feeding experiment, 16 three‐month‐old goats were divided into eight groups, four of which were fed a ration containing 40% alfalfa with leaves intact (LI) and four of which were fed an otherwise identical diet containing stemmy alfalfa (leaves removed, LR). Results As expected, LR reduced protein intake compared to LI (48.3 vs. 93.3 g d−1; p < 0.001) and increased acid detergent fiber intake (239 vs. 167 g d−1; p < 0.001), but neutral detergent fiber and dry matter digestibility did not differ between LR and LI. The LR group had lower gross energy, digestible energy, and metabolizable energy intakes than the LI group (p = 0.080, 0.030, and 0.022, respectively). Retained nitrogen for LI and LR was 2.30 and 1.72 g d−1, respectively. Body weight gain was 74 g d−1 in LI and 52 g d−1 in LR (p < 0.001). Conclusions These results highlight that even where alfalfa is only one component of a mixed diet, the nutritive quality and leaf content of the alfalfa component are important to animal performance.https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70009digestibility of feed componentsenergy balancefeed intakenitrogen retentionparasite incidencewinter goat nutrition |
| spellingShingle | Yuhong Jiang Jieyan Zhou Xianjiang Chen Ying Kang Tianhai Yan Fujiang Hou Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau Grassland Research digestibility of feed components energy balance feed intake nitrogen retention parasite incidence winter goat nutrition |
| title | Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau |
| title_full | Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau |
| title_fullStr | Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau |
| title_short | Effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa–maize diet on the digestion, metabolism, and growth rate of goats in the Longdong Loess Plateau |
| title_sort | effect of alfalfa hay quality in an alfalfa maize diet on the digestion metabolism and growth rate of goats in the longdong loess plateau |
| topic | digestibility of feed components energy balance feed intake nitrogen retention parasite incidence winter goat nutrition |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/glr2.70009 |
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