Two experiments were carried out in this study. Experiment 1 was conducted to examine the effects of several supplemental Chinese herbs on
antioxidant function and slaughtered
body weight in sheep. Results indicated that Fructus Ligustri Lucidi supplementation improved the blood
antioxidant function [higher concentration of
glutathione reductase (GR),
superoxide dismutase and lower concentration of
malondialdehyde] and slaughtered
body weight in sheep (p < 0.05). Experiment 2 was conducted to investigate the effect of Fructus Ligustri Lucidi extract (FLLE) on rumen fermentation and nutrient digestibility in sheep. Four levels of FLLE treatments, i.e. 0, 100, 300 and 500 mg/kg dry matter (DM), were used in this part. Addition of FLLE at 300 or 500 mg/kg DM increased total
volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration and
propionate proportion, decreased
ammonia-N concentration in the ruminal fluid, reduced blood
urea nitrogen concentration at 2, 4, 6 and 8 h after morning feeding (p < 0.05). Addition of FLLE at all dosages had no effect on ruminal pH value and
acetate concentration at all sampling time points in sheep (p > 0.05). Dynamic degradation coefficient c of maize DM was significantly increased by supplementing FLLE at 300 or 500 mg/kg DM (p < 0.05). Fructus Ligustri Lucidi extract addition had no effect on degradation coefficients a, b, c of DM and
nitrogen of soybean meal; a, b of maize DM; a, b, c of maize
nitrogen; and a, b, c of neutral
detergent fibre (NDF) and
acid detergent fibre (ADF) of Chinese wildrye (p > 0.05). Addition of FLLE at 300 or 500 mg/kg DM increased DM and organic matter digestibility of diet (p < 0.05). Fructus Ligustri Lucidi extract addition had no effect on digestibility of diet's NDF, ADF and crude
protein (p > 0.05). From the aforementioned results, it is indicated that FLLE improved
antioxidant status and slaughtered
body weight. Fructus Ligustri Lucidi extract addition has capability to modulate rumen fermentation, increase the maize degradation rate, total
volatile fatty acid concentration and
propionate proportion in sheep.