Exploring the Potential of Herbal and Organic Minerals as Feed Additives for Beef Cattle Production
Abstract
An estimated global population of beef cattle is one billion, and when contrasted to swine and poultry, beef cattle have the lowest feed-to-meat conversion rates. Yet, these estimates need to consider beef cattle's ability to provide great-quality protein from sources which may be improper for other livestock species. Critical approaches to raising beef cattle's productivity include feed shape and composition, host genetics, the functionality of the rumen and respiratory microbes, and operational and breeding control. The aim of this research was to observe the impacts of adding Sapindus rarak (SR), powdered garlic, and their combinations to feed for beef cattle that had been supplemented with organic minerals of Cr and Zn on feed consumption, digestion, effectiveness, and performance, as well as expected growth. In the study, 16 male Brahman cross cows were used, and their diets were accompanied by 250 ppm SR powder, 250 ppm garlic powder, and 250 ppm SR-garlic fortified with Cr and Zn minerals. The outcomes presented that adding SR, garlic, and enhanced organic minerals to the diet increased feed efficiency, daily improvement, and the intake of dry and organic matter while reducing the number of rumen bacteria and protozoans. The researchers found that the best strategy to boost daily growth and feed efficiency was to add 250 ppm of organic minerals Cr-Zn and garlic powder to the beef cattle diet.
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