IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v17y2025i17p7598-d1730686.html

Dietary Fiber Levels as a Sustainability Strategy in Lamb Production: Impacts on Digestion, Behavior, and Rumen Function

Author

Listed:
  • Rodrigo Neiva Santos

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • Stefanie Alvarenga Santos

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • Luís Gabriel Alves Cirne

    (Institute of Biodiversity and Forestry, Universidade Federal do Oeste do Pará, Santarém 68040255, Brazil)

  • Douglas dos Santos Pina

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • José Esler de Freitas Junior

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • José Augusto Gomes Azevedo

    (Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Ilhéus, Bahia 45662900, Brazil)

  • Robério Rodrigues Silva

    (Department of Animal Sciences, Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia, Itapetinga, Bahia 45700000, Brazil)

  • Henry Daniel Ruiz Alba

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • Maria Leonor Garcia Melo Lopes de Araújo

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • Thaís Neri de Souza

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

  • Bruna Mara Aparecida de Carvalho Mesquita

    (Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal De Minas Gerais, Montes Claros, Minas Gerais 39404547, Brazil)

  • Gleidson Giordano Pinto de Carvalho

    (Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Av. Milton Santos, 500, Salvador 40170110, Brazil)

Abstract

Defining appropriate dietary fiber levels is essential for enhancing the sustainability of feedlot lamb production. Optimal dietary fiber levels can enhance meat yield, improve nutrient retention and utilization, and reduce environmental impact. This study aimed to determine the optimal level of dietary fiber to enhance nutrient intake, digestibility, feeding behavior, and rumen fermentation in feedlot lambs. Five rumen-fistulated Santa Inês male lambs (40 kg, 7 months old) were used in a 5 × 5 Latin square design. Diets contained increasing levels of neutral detergent fiber (NDF): 200, 320, 440, 560, and 680 g/kg dry matter (DM), with each period lasting 21 days (total 105 days). Nutrient intake responded quadratically to NDF levels ( p < 0.05). Apparent digestibility was significantly affected ( p < 0.05), except for crude protein. Feeding ( p = 0.001) and rumination times ( p = 0.002) increased linearly, while idling time decreased ( p < 0.001). Feeder visits declined ( p = 0.002), and idling events followed a quadratic trend. Feeding and rumination efficiencies for DM decreased ( p = 0.006 and p = 0.010), while NDF rumination efficiency increased ( p = 0.014). The ruminal pH rose ( p < 0.001), and propionate decreased ( p = 0.019); acetate and butyrate showed quadratic responses. Based on intake, digestibility, and fermentation patterns, dietary NDF should be included at 400 g/kg DM to optimize nutrient utilization and rumen function in confined lambs.

Suggested Citation

  • Rodrigo Neiva Santos & Stefanie Alvarenga Santos & Luís Gabriel Alves Cirne & Douglas dos Santos Pina & José Esler de Freitas Junior & José Augusto Gomes Azevedo & Robério Rodrigues Silva & Henry Dani, 2025. "Dietary Fiber Levels as a Sustainability Strategy in Lamb Production: Impacts on Digestion, Behavior, and Rumen Function," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(17), pages 1-13, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:17:p:7598-:d:1730686
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/17/7598/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/17/17/7598/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Édson Luis Bolfe & Daniel de Castro Victoria & Edson Eyji Sano & Gustavo Bayma & Silvia Maria Fonseca Silveira Massruhá & Aryeverton Fortes de Oliveira, 2024. "Potential for Agricultural Expansion in Degraded Pasture Lands in Brazil Based on Geospatial Databases," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, February.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Colussi, Joana & Paulson, Nick & Schnitkey, Gary & Zulauf, Carl & Baltz, Jim, 2024. "Potential for Crop Expansion in Brazil Based on Pastureland and Double-Cropping," farmdoc daily, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Department of Agricultural and Consumer Economics, vol. 14(69).
    2. Ivan Bergier & Jayme G. A. Barbedo & Édson L. Bolfe & Luciana A. S. Romani & Ricardo Y. Inamasu & Silvia M. F. S. Massruhá, 2024. "Framing Concepts of Agriculture 5.0 via Bipartite Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-22, December.
    3. Ana Cristina da Silva Soares & Edson Eyji Sano & Fabiana de Góis Aquino & Tati de Almeida, 2025. "Threats and Opportunities for Biodiversity Conservation and Sustainable Use in the Buffer Zones of National Parks in the Brazilian Cerrado," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(14), pages 1-21, July.
    4. Zhao, Hongxi & Chakravorty, Rwit & Arita, Shawn, 2026. "Expansion of Brazil’s Soybean and Corn Lands: An Outlook for 2026 and Beyond," ARPC Brief 391397, North Dakota State University.
    5. Cherubin, Maurício Roberto & Pinheiro Junior, Carlos Roberto & Souza, Lucas Nogueira & Canisares, Lucas Pecci & Cerri, Carlos Eduardo Pellegrino, 2025. "Exploring soil health research in Brazil: A critical analysis of national challenges, opportunities, and priorities," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:17:p:7598-:d:1730686. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.