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Acta Prataculturae Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 34 ›› Issue (1): 215-225.DOI: 10.11686/cyxb2024085

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Effects of different feeding methods on growth performance and blood physiological and biochemical indexes of yaks

Sheng-wei JIN1,2(), Yin-cang HAN1,2(), Yong-gang SUN1,2, Wei-qin DING1,2, Ya-qian LIU1,2, Zeng-yuan QI1,2, Jian-qiang ZHOU1,2   

  1. 1.Academy of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine,Qinghai University,Xining 810016,China
    2.Plateau Livestock Genetic Resources Protection and Innovative Utilization key Laboratory of Qinghai Province,Xining 810016,China
  • Received:2024-03-18 Revised:2024-04-26 Online:2025-01-20 Published:2024-11-04
  • Contact: Yin-cang HAN

Abstract:

This experiment studied the effects of different feeding methods in the cold season on the growth and physiological adaptation of Qinghai Plateau-type yaks. Three hundred and twenty male yaks of 18 months of age with no significant difference in natural body weight [(142.45±2.65) kg] were selected and divided into two groups. One group was naturally grazed in the original conditions, and the other group was fattened for six months in full housing at low altitude. At the end of the experiment, three yaks from each group were randomly chosen and slaughtered to determine of growth performance, slaughter performance, and blood physiology and biochemistry. After 6 months in the different feeding regimes during the cold season, the weight, body length and chest circumference of yaks in the fattening group were higher than those in the grazing group, with high statistical significance (P<0.01). Similarly, the pre-slaughter live weight, meat weight, bone weight, hoof weight, skin weight, meat∶bone ratio, slaughter rate, net meat yield, heart weight, lung weight and skin∶body weight of yaks in the fattening group were all higher than those of the grazing group, with high statistical significance (P<0.01). Meanwhile, the head weight, carcass meat yield, liver weight, spleen weight and kidney weight of yaks in the fattening group were higher than those of the grazing group, but at a lower level of statistical significance (P<0.05). The number of red blood cells and haemoglobin concentration of yaks in the fattening group were significantly higher than those in the grazing group (P<0.05); the mean haemoglobin content of yaks in the grazing group was significantly higher than that of the fattening group (P<0.05). Total cholesterol levels were significantly higher in the fattening group than in the grazing group (P<0.05); calcium and phosphorus content was significantly higher in the fattening group than in the grazing group (P<0.05). The economic benefits of the fattening group were higher than those of the grazing group, with high significance (P<0.01). In conclusion, cold-season low altitude ex-situ fattening enhanced growth performance, nutritional metabolism, and optimized serum biochemical indices of yaks, which increased the economic efficiency of yak farming.

Key words: plateau yak, off-site fattening, growth performance, blood physiological indexes