Lingonberry Leaves Modify Rumen Protozoa Population, Carbohydrate Digestion, and Morphology of Gastrointestinal Tract in Sheep: A Preliminary Study
Leaves, the main by-product of lingonberry harvesting, can be effectively used as a functional feed additive due to their health-promoting properties. This study evaluated the effects of lingonberry leaf (LL) supplementation on rumen fermentation, protozoal populations, and gastrointestinal morpholo...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Molecules |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1420-3049/30/15/3161 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| Summary: | Leaves, the main by-product of lingonberry harvesting, can be effectively used as a functional feed additive due to their health-promoting properties. This study evaluated the effects of lingonberry leaf (LL) supplementation on rumen fermentation, protozoal populations, and gastrointestinal morphology in sheep. Eight one-year-old Polish Mountain Sheep ewes (mean body weight: 33 kg) were allocated to a control (basal diet; forage-to-concentrate ratio 60:40) or an experimental group (basal diet + 9.30 g/kg DM dried LLs) in a completely randomised design (n = 4 per group) over 34 days. Both diets were formulated to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous. LL additive significantly reduced <i>Isotrichidae</i> protozoal counts (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and ruminal pectinolytic activity (<i>p</i> = 0.043), without altering short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) or methane concentrations (<i>p</i> > 0.1). Histological analyses showed increased ruminal papilla width and surface area (<i>p</i> < 0.001) and decreased duodenal villus height and muscular layer thickness (<i>p</i> < 0.01). Inflammatory lesions (reddish foci) were identified in the liver in both groups. These findings demonstrate that LL supplementation affected specific protozoal population, fibrolytic activity, and gastrointestinal morphology. Further study on a larger number of animals is recommended to validate the effects and assess the safety and efficacy of LLs as a dietary additive in ruminant nutrition. |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 1420-3049 |