Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) encompasses a wide range of natural herbs and plants that are used to treat or prevent diseases or promote health. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding a TCM formula extract on nitrogen (N) balance, microbial nitrogen supply (MNS), and plasma leucine...

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Main Authors: Xi Liang, Xue Bi, Hiroaki Sano, Jin Jin
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Ruminants
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-933X/4/4/42
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author Xi Liang
Xue Bi
Hiroaki Sano
Jin Jin
author_facet Xi Liang
Xue Bi
Hiroaki Sano
Jin Jin
author_sort Xi Liang
collection DOAJ
description Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) encompasses a wide range of natural herbs and plants that are used to treat or prevent diseases or promote health. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding a TCM formula extract on nitrogen (N) balance, microbial nitrogen supply (MNS), and plasma leucine kinetics in sheep. Six sheep were fed with mixed hay (Hay-diet) only or supplemented with 2% TCM (mixture of Astragalus root, Angelica root, and Atractylodes rhizome; TCM-diet) in a crossover design over two 21-day periods. An isotope dilution of [1-<sup>13</sup>C]leucine was used to measure the rate of plasma leucine turnover. Purine derivative (PD) excretion in urine was determined to estimate the MNS. The TCM-diet significantly increased N intake (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and N digestibility (<i>p</i> = 0.02) compared to the Hay-diet, with less N excretion (<i>p</i> = 0.02) in feces, while no significant difference was observed between diets in terms of N excretion in urine and N retention. Total PD excretion and MNS were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.01), as well as the turnover rate of plasma leucine tended to be higher (<i>p</i> = 0.06) with the supplementation of TCM. The present results suggested that the TCM formula could be considered as a potential feed additive for ruminant production.
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series Ruminants
spelling doaj-art-76379741162446af9f5899156a7ab4dc2024-12-27T14:51:58ZengMDPI AGRuminants2673-933X2024-12-014461362210.3390/ruminants4040042Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in SheepXi Liang0Xue Bi1Hiroaki Sano2Jin Jin3Department of Animal Science, Iwate University, Morioka 020-8550, JapanDepartment of Animal Science, Iwate University, Morioka 020-8550, JapanDepartment of Animal Science, Iwate University, Morioka 020-8550, JapanDepartment of Animal Science, Iwate University, Morioka 020-8550, JapanTraditional Chinese medicine (TCM) encompasses a wide range of natural herbs and plants that are used to treat or prevent diseases or promote health. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of feeding a TCM formula extract on nitrogen (N) balance, microbial nitrogen supply (MNS), and plasma leucine kinetics in sheep. Six sheep were fed with mixed hay (Hay-diet) only or supplemented with 2% TCM (mixture of Astragalus root, Angelica root, and Atractylodes rhizome; TCM-diet) in a crossover design over two 21-day periods. An isotope dilution of [1-<sup>13</sup>C]leucine was used to measure the rate of plasma leucine turnover. Purine derivative (PD) excretion in urine was determined to estimate the MNS. The TCM-diet significantly increased N intake (<i>p</i> < 0.01) and N digestibility (<i>p</i> = 0.02) compared to the Hay-diet, with less N excretion (<i>p</i> = 0.02) in feces, while no significant difference was observed between diets in terms of N excretion in urine and N retention. Total PD excretion and MNS were higher (<i>p</i> < 0.01), as well as the turnover rate of plasma leucine tended to be higher (<i>p</i> = 0.06) with the supplementation of TCM. The present results suggested that the TCM formula could be considered as a potential feed additive for ruminant production.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-933X/4/4/42[1-<sup>13</sup>C]leucineleucine turnovermicrobial proteinnitrogen balancesheeptraditional Chinese medicine
spellingShingle Xi Liang
Xue Bi
Hiroaki Sano
Jin Jin
Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep
Ruminants
[1-<sup>13</sup>C]leucine
leucine turnover
microbial protein
nitrogen balance
sheep
traditional Chinese medicine
title Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep
title_full Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep
title_fullStr Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep
title_full_unstemmed Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep
title_short Supplementing Forage with Traditional Chinese Medicine Can Increase Microbial Protein Synthesis in Sheep
title_sort supplementing forage with traditional chinese medicine can increase microbial protein synthesis in sheep
topic [1-<sup>13</sup>C]leucine
leucine turnover
microbial protein
nitrogen balance
sheep
traditional Chinese medicine
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-933X/4/4/42
work_keys_str_mv AT xiliang supplementingforagewithtraditionalchinesemedicinecanincreasemicrobialproteinsynthesisinsheep
AT xuebi supplementingforagewithtraditionalchinesemedicinecanincreasemicrobialproteinsynthesisinsheep
AT hiroakisano supplementingforagewithtraditionalchinesemedicinecanincreasemicrobialproteinsynthesisinsheep
AT jinjin supplementingforagewithtraditionalchinesemedicinecanincreasemicrobialproteinsynthesisinsheep