Abstract: An in vivo experiment was conducted to study the effects of granulated rape straw feed on the productive performance, nutrient utilization, rumen fermentation parameters, and blood biochemical indexes of Hu sheep. Thirty 6-month-old healthy Hu sheep (32.33±1.65 kg) were equally divided into two groups based on their body weights. One group was fed on pelleted peanut vine feed (control group), and the other was fed on pelleted rape straw feed. The total feeding period lasted 52 days. The average daily weight gain, feed conversion ratio, rumen fermentation parameters, feed apparent digestibility, and blood biochemical indexes were measured. The results showed that, compared with the control group, the group fed with pelleted rape straw showed a significantly lower (P<0.05) dry matter intake (1.37 kg versus 1.47 kg), but similar average daily weight gain (147 g vs. 143 g). The pelleted rape straw feed increased the levels of total volatile fatty acids (102.27 mmol/L vs. 90.44 mmol/L) (P<0.05), propionate (17.08 mmol/L vs. 13.79 mmol/L) (P<0.01), butyrate (11.97 mmol/L vs. 10.31 mmol/L) (P<0.01), and NH₃-N (15.90 mg/dL vs. 11.33 mg/dL) (P<0.01), and decreased the acetate to propionate ratio (3.96 vs. 4.33) (P<0.01). The apparent total tract digestibility of neutral detergent fiber (P=0.09) showed an increasing trend in the group fed with pelleted rape straw (54.75% vs. 51.50%). The pelleted rape straw feed significantly increased the concentration of glucose (3.77 mmol/L vs. 2.97 mmol/L) (P<0.05), and decreased the concentrations of blood urea nitrogen (11.01 mmol/L vs. 12.80 mmol/L) (P<0.01), free fatty acids (133.07 umol/L vs. 144.50 umol/L) (P<0.05), alanine aminotransferase (14.85 U/L vs. 19.23 U/L) (P<0.05), and high-density lipoprotein (0.92 mmol/L vs. 1.05 mmol/L) (P<0.05). The cost per kg weight gain was 5.87 yuan lower in the experimental group than in the control group. In summary, feeding growing Hu sheep with pelleted rape straw had no adverse effects on their health and reduced feed costs, and could therefore improve breeding efficiency. Rape is a rich forage source in the areas where Hu sheep are farmed, and the use of rape straw as feed is a promising strategy to reduce regional rape straw pollution.