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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2023, Vol. 32 ›› Issue (3): 118-127.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2022126

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Changes in small intestinal morphology, digestive enzyme activity and antioxidant enzyme activities of female Tibetan sheep after substituting the maize component of a concentrate diet with palm meal

Li ZHOU1,2(), Sheng-zhen HOU1, Zhi-you WANG1, Bao-chun YANG1, Li-juan HAN1, Lin-sheng GUI1()   

  1. 1.College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry,Qinghai University,Xining 810016,China
    2.College of Agriculture,Ningxia University,Yinchuan 750021,China
  • Received:2022-03-18 Revised:2022-05-23 Online:2023-03-20 Published:2022-12-30
  • Contact: Lin-sheng GUI

Abstract:

This experiment explored the effects on jejunum histomorphology, digestive enzyme activity, pH, lipopolysaccharide levels and antioxidant enzyme activity of substituting the maize component of a concentrate diet with palm meal in female Tibetan sheep. Well bred female Tibetan sheep aged 2-3 months with similar initial weight and in good health were randomly divided into four treatment groups of 30 animals, each comprising six replicate groups of 5 sheep. In the four treatment groups, 0%, 15%, 18% or 21% palm meal were fed to replace maize in the concentrate for a test period is 97 days. It was found that: 1) There were no significant differences in villus height, villus width, crypt depth, mucosal thickness and villus height∶crypt depth between the 0% and 15% maize groups (P>0.05); 2) The activities of α-amylase, cellulase, lipase and chymotrypsin in the jejunum in the 0% maize group were significantly lower than those in 15% maize group (P<0.05 or P<0.01). 3) The activities of glutathione peroxidase and catalase in the jejunum in the 0% maize group were significantly lower than those in the 15% and 18% maize groups (P<0.05), but did not differ significantly from the 21% maize group (P>0.05); 4) The jejunum concentrations of lipopolysaccharide in the 18% and 21% maize groups were significantly higher than in the 0% maize group (P<0.05 or P<0.01), but there was no significant difference compared with the 15% group (P>0.05). In conclusion, palm meal can partially replace maize to feed Tibetan ewes, and the recommended maize substitution rate is 15%.

Key words: plateau Tibetan sheep, palm kernel meal, corn, lipopolysaccharide, intestinal, digestive enzyme activities, antioxidant enzyme activity, pH