Fattening performance and carcass characteristics of lambs supplemented with condensed tannins from <i>Acacia mearnsii</i> extract

Abstract

Tannins are polyphenolic compounds with some beneficial properties for ruminants as they act as antioxidants, antimicrobials, and anthelmintics, which may improve animal performance. However, the results are variable, depending on the type, source, and dose. The objective of this research was to determine the effect on fattening performance and carcass characteristics of lambs supplemented with condensed tannins (CTs) from Acacia mearnsii extract. Thirty-six, three-month-old Dorset x Hampshire cross lambs of 20.8 ± 3.3 kg live weight were used in a completely randomized design with four treatments (n = 9), namely T1: basal diet, 0.0 g CT/kg DM^-1; T2: T1 + 1.75 g CT/kg DM^-1; T3: T1 + 3.5 g CT/kg DM^-1; and T4: T1 + 5.25 g CT/kg DM^-1. The daily weight gain was higher in T2 and T3 than in T1. The weight at slaughter and empty weight at slaughter were higher in T2 than in T1. The hot carcass weight was higher in T3 than in T1, but no different from T2 or T4. The hot carcass yield was higher in T3 than in the other treatments. The meat pH at slaughter and 24 hours postmortem was higher in T4 than in T1 and the meat protein percentage was higher in T3 than in T1. The inclusion of CTs from Acacia mearnsii extract in the diet of fattening lambs increased their daily weight gain, yield, and carcass weight.