Evaluation of apple cider vinegar as a growth promoter for fattening lambs

Abstract

It is important to investigate the use of apple cider vinegar in animal nutrition as a potential growth promoter, as it has long been known to have health and digestive benefits. This study was carried out to investigate the effects of adding vinegar to the drinking water of fattening lambs on their carcass characteristics. Lambs were divided into 4 different groups (control (0), 5, 10, and 15 ml/L vinegar) in accordance with the experimental design, and it was planned to have 10 animals in each group. In the experiment, 40 K & imath;v & imath;rc & imath;k male lambs aged 2.5-3 months and with an average live weight between 23 and 25 kg were used as the animal material. The fattened lambs were housed in individual compartments during the 42-day treatment period, and they were fed individually. At the end of the fattening period, 6 animals from each group were slaughtered, and measurements of carcass characteristics were obtained. The differences among the final weights of the groups during the trial period were found to be not significant (p>0.05), and the values obtained at the end of the trial varied between 35.17 and 36.00 kg. Cold carcass weights were between 15.75 and 16.30. Similarly, no significant difference was found among the groups (p>0.05). It was concluded that adding apple cider vinegar by up to 15 ml/L to the drinking water of fattening lambs does not have a negative effect on carcass characteristics.