Growth, slaughter performance, and meat quality of Mutton sheep after add inulin and tannin

Twenty-four Hu lambs (weaned) with similar body weight were selected and divided into four groups of six lambs each, using a randomized block design. Lambs in the control group were fed a basal diet, while treatment groups were fed basal diet + 0.1% inulin (test group Ⅰ), basal diet + 0.1% inulin + 2% tannin (test group Ⅱ), and basal diet + 0.1% inulin + 2% tannin + 4% polyethylene glycol (test group Ⅲ). The average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI), material weight ratio (FCR), apparent digestibility of nutrients, live weight, body weight before slaughter, slaughter rate, eye muscle area, pH, cooked meat rate, hydraulic capacity, shear force, incarnadine, sheep growth, slaughter performance, and meat quality were determined. The results showed that there were no significant differences in the ADG, DMI, FCR, live weight before slaughter, carcass weight, slaughter rate, and eye muscle area among treatment groups (P > 0.05). The cooked meat rate in test group Ⅰ was significantly higher than that in test group Ⅲ (P < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference in the cooked meat rate between the control group and test group Ⅱ (P > 0.05). The hydraulic power of test group Ⅱ was significantly higher than that of the control group and test group Ⅲ (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference with experimental group Ⅰ (P > 0.05). The shear forces in control group and test group Ⅰ were significantly higher than those in test groups Ⅱ and Ⅲ (P < 0.01). pH_{45 min} in the control group was significantly higher than that in all three treatment groups (P < 0.05), and there was no significant difference in pH_{45 min} between test group Ⅰ and test group Ⅲ, but these were significantly higher than that in test group Ⅱ. 24 h L* ( brightness), a* (redness), and b* (yellowness) in test group Ⅰ and test group Ⅱ were significantly higher than those in the other two groups (P < 0.05). Inulin and tannin had a significant effect on the apparent digestibility of nutrients. In conclusion, inulin alone or in combination with tannin can improve the hydraulic capacity, shear force, meat color, and nutrient apparent digestibility of Hu sheep to a certain extent.