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Ruminants
Special Issues
Nutrients and Feed Additives in Sheep and Goats
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Nutrients and Feed Additives in Sheep and Goats

A special issue of Ruminants (ISSN 2673-933X).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 April 2026 | Viewed by 4617

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Neila Lidiany Ribeiro

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
1. Animal Production, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande (UFCG), Campina Grande, Paraíba 58429-900, Brazil
2. Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Paraiba (UFPB), Areia 58397-000, Brazil
Interests: ruminant nutrition; feed additives; sustainable feeding strategies; natural additives; rumen health; animal performance; methane mitigation; animal welfare; animal behavior

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Ruminant nutrition plays a crucial role in animal productivity and environmental sustainability. Sustainable feeding strategies aim to optimize the use of resources and minimize environmental impacts. Natural additives, such as essential oils, tannins, and probiotics, have gained prominence as alternatives to synthetic additives, promoting rumen health and improving animal performance. These compounds help balance the rumen microbiota, favoring digestion and feed efficiency. A sustainable approach also includes practices that mitigate methane emissions, one of the main greenhouse gases associated with animal production. Strategies such as the use of specific feed additives and dietary adjustments can significantly reduce emissions, contributing to more sustainable livestock farming. In addition to nutritional aspects, it is essential to prioritize animal welfare and behavior. Well-planned diets and environmental enrichment promote not only the physical health but also the behavioral balance of ruminants, ensuring a better quality of life. Thus, integrating quality nutrition with ethical and sustainable practices is key to meeting the challenges of modern livestock farming and meeting society's demands for safe, sustainable, and responsibly produced food.

Dr. Neila Lidiany Ribeiro
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Ruminants is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • sustainability
  • animal welfare
  • animal behavior
  • ruminants
  • natural additives
  • methane mitigation
  • gut health
  • small ruminants
  • native breeds

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 468 KB  
Article
Effects of Varying Levels of Baobab Oilseed Cake Combined with Fossil Shell Flour Diets on Nutritional Status Indicators and Associated Blood Metabolites of Angora Goats
by Bukeka Mtenjwa, Olusegun Oyebade Ikusika and Conference Thando Mpendulo
Ruminants 2025, 5(4), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants5040056 - 23 Nov 2025
Viewed by 185
Abstract
The present study determined the effects of varying inclusion levels of baobab oilseed cake (BOSC) combined with fossil shell flour (FSF) diets on body condition scores, body weight gain, and nutritionally related blood metabolites of Angora goats. Twenty-four Angora goat wethers aged 5–6 [...] Read more.
The present study determined the effects of varying inclusion levels of baobab oilseed cake (BOSC) combined with fossil shell flour (FSF) diets on body condition scores, body weight gain, and nutritionally related blood metabolites of Angora goats. Twenty-four Angora goat wethers aged 5–6 months, weighing 12.75 ± 1.5 kg, were kept in individual pens for 105 days of successive feeding, including a 14-day adaptation period. Goats were randomly allocated to four dietary treatments: 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% BOSC (n = 6). Each goat was offered experimental diets at 4% of its body weight daily at 08:00. Goats were then released to graze on natural pastures at 10:00 and returned to their respective pens at 16:00 daily. Body weight gain, body condition scores, and blood concentrations were determined. Angora wethers BCS linearly increased (p < 0.05) as weeks progressed in all inclusion levels of BOSC. Body weight gain increased linearly (p < 0.05) in goats fed 0% and 10% BOSC across the 13-week feeding period, while goats fed 5% BOSC showed a sharp quadratic increase (p < 0.05) between weeks 5–6 and those fed 15% BOSC between weeks 3–8. Creatinine levels showed a sharp quadratic decline (p < 0.05) between 10–15% BOSC inclusion, while urea levels quadratically declined (p < 0.05) between 0–5% inclusion. Phosphorus concentrations also decreased quadratically (p < 0.05), reaching their lowest values between 5% and 10% BOSC, while total protein, glucose, magnesium, albumin, and calcium remained unchanged (p > 0.05) across dietary treatments. In conclusion, this preliminary study suggests that the inclusion of 15% BOSC improves BWG, BCS, and nutritionally associated blood metabolites in Angora goats. Further studies with a larger number of animals are recommended to confirm these findings. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrients and Feed Additives in Sheep and Goats)
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19 pages, 460 KB  
Article
The Effect of Clayey Micromineral Compounds in Lamb Feed on Health, Intake, Performance, and Carcass and Meat Quality Parameters
by Ronaildo Fabino Neto, Marinaldo Divino Ribeiro, Cássio José da Silva, Sérgio Lúcio Salomon Cabral Filho, Rodrigo Vidal Oliveira, Mônica Maria de Almeida Brainer, Ozana de Fátima Zacaroni, José Mauro da Silva Diogo, Emmanuel Arnhold, Ramon Souza Oliveira, Rogério Bernardo Cardoso, Douglas Messias Lamounier Camargos Rezende and Flávia Oliveira Abrão Pessoa
Ruminants 2025, 5(4), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants5040052 - 4 Nov 2025
Viewed by 512
Abstract
Improving livestock nutrition with natural supplements can enhance productivity and meat quality. This study evaluated whether a clayey micromineral compound (CMC) in lamb diets improves feed efficiency, health, and meat traits. Twenty-four 60-day-old Dorper/Santa Inês crossbred lambs (28.41 ± 4.147 kg initial weight) [...] Read more.
Improving livestock nutrition with natural supplements can enhance productivity and meat quality. This study evaluated whether a clayey micromineral compound (CMC) in lamb diets improves feed efficiency, health, and meat traits. Twenty-four 60-day-old Dorper/Santa Inês crossbred lambs (28.41 ± 4.147 kg initial weight) were randomly assigned to four CMC doses (0%, 0.4%, 0.8%, or 1.2% of dry matter intake/day) for 90 days, following a 15-day adaptation. The lambs were individually housed, with daily feed intake monitoring, weekly weight measurements, and blood analyses at the start and end. On day 89, rumen fluid was sampled for digestion analysis, and post-mortem evaluations were used to assess meat quality and rumen health. The results showed that 0.8% CMC optimized fat and fiber digestion (p < 0.05), while higher doses linearly improved meat color intensity (p < 0.05). Blood tests indicated better liver function at intermediate doses (p < 0.05). However, the CMC did not affect overall growth, feed intake, or carcass traits. The supplement was safe but provided selective benefits. These findings suggest that CMCs could enhance feed efficiency and meat appeal, although further research is needed to refine dosing for maximum impact. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrients and Feed Additives in Sheep and Goats)
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14 pages, 281 KB  
Article
Effects of Slaughter Age and Sex on Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Crossbred Kids Under Semi-Intensive System
by Elizabete Cristina Batista da Costa Macena, Roberto Germano Costa, Wandrick Hauss de Sousa, Felipe Queiroga Cartaxo, Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho and Neila Lidiany Ribeiro
Ruminants 2025, 5(3), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants5030041 - 5 Sep 2025
Viewed by 891
Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of age and sex on carcass traits, commercial cuts, and meat quality in crossbred kids. A total of 32 Boer × native crossbred kids were used, equally distributed according to sex and slaughter age: 16 male [...] Read more.
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of age and sex on carcass traits, commercial cuts, and meat quality in crossbred kids. A total of 32 Boer × native crossbred kids were used, equally distributed according to sex and slaughter age: 16 male kids (8 slaughtered at 70 days and 8 at 100 days) and 16 female kids (8 at 70 days and 8 at 100 days). However, slaughter age significantly affected (p < 0.05) total weight gain, empty body weight, hot and cold carcass weights, loin eye area, internal fat percentage, and carcass compactness index. A significant interaction (p < 0.05) between sex and age was found for thoracic depth. In addition, leg length and leg compactness index were significantly influenced (p < 0.05) by both factors. Slaughter age also had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on internal body length, leg length, rump width, thigh perimeter, rump perimeter, chest circumference, thoracic depth, internal thoracic depth, and carcass compactness index. Regarding commercial cuts (neck, shoulder, ribs, loin, and leg), slaughter age had a significant influence (p < 0.05), reflecting the same pattern observed in hot and cold carcass weights, and indicating consistent distribution across cuts. In conclusion, slaughter age had a more pronounced effect on carcass characteristics than sex, highlighting its importance in determining meat yield and quality in crossbred kids. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrients and Feed Additives in Sheep and Goats)
15 pages, 275 KB  
Article
Leonardite (Humic and Fulvic Acid Complex) Long-Term Supplementation in Lambs Finished Under Subtropical Climate Conditions: Growth Performance, Dietary Energetics, and Carcass Traits
by Alfredo Estrada-Angulo, Jesús A. Quezada-Rubio, Elizama Ponce-Barraza, Beatriz I. Castro-Pérez, Jesús D. Urías-Estrada, Jorge L. Ramos-Méndez, Yesica J. Arteaga-Wences, Lucía de G. Escobedo-Gallegos, Luis Corona and Alejandro Plascencia
Ruminants 2025, 5(2), 20; https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants5020020 - 29 May 2025
Viewed by 2326
Abstract
Leonardite (LEO), a microbial derived product rich in humic and fulvic acids, has been tested, due to its beneficial properties for health and well-being, as a feed additive, mainly in non-ruminant species. Although there are some reports of LEO supplementation in ruminants fed [...] Read more.
Leonardite (LEO), a microbial derived product rich in humic and fulvic acids, has been tested, due to its beneficial properties for health and well-being, as a feed additive, mainly in non-ruminant species. Although there are some reports of LEO supplementation in ruminants fed with high-to medium-forage based diets, there is no information available of the potential effects of LEO in ruminants fed, under sub-tropical climate conditions, with high-energy diets during long-term fattening. For this reason, the objective of the present experiment was to evaluate the effects of LEO levels inclusion in diets for feedlot lambs finished over a long-term period. For this reason, 48 Pelibuey × Katahdin lambs (initial weight = 20.09 ± 3.55 kg) were fed with a high-energy diet (88:12 concentrate to forage ratio) supplemented with LEO (with a minimum of 75% total humic acids) for 130 days as follows: (1) diet without LEO, (2) diet supplemented with 0.20% LEO, (3) diet supplemented with 0.40% LEO, and (4) diet supplemented with 0.60% LEO. For each treatment, Leonardite was incorporated with the mineral premix. Lambs were blocked by weight and housed in 24 pens (2 lambs/pen). Treatment effects were contrasted by orthogonal polynomials. The average climatic conditions that occurred during the experimental period were 31.6 ± 2.4 °C ambient temperature and 42.2 ± 8.1% relative humidity (RH). Those values of ambient temperature and RH represent a temperature humidity index (THI) of 79.07; thus, lambs were finished under high heat load conditions. The inclusion of LEO in diet did not affect dry matter intake (p ≥ 0.25) and average daily gain (p ≥ 0.21); therefore, feed to gain ratio was not affected (p ≥ 0.18). The observed to expected dietary net energy averaged 0.96 and was not affected by LEO inclusion (p ≥ 0.26). The lower efficiency (−4%) of dietary energy utilization is an expected response given the climatic conditions of high ambient heat load presented during fattening. Lambs that were slaughtered at an average weight of 49.15 ± 6.00 kg did not show differences on the variables measured for carcass traits (p ≥ 0.16), shoulder tissue composition (p ≥ 0.59), nor in visceral mass (p ≥ 0.46) by inclusion of LEO. Under the climatic conditions in which this experiment was carried out, LEO supplementation up to 0.60% in diet (equivalent to 0.45% of humic substances) did not did not help to alleviate the extra-energy expenditure used to dissipate the excessive heat and did not change the gained tissue composition of the lambs that were fed with high-energy diets during long-term period under sub-tropical climate conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nutrients and Feed Additives in Sheep and Goats)
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