Effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum biochemical indices and faecal microbial flora in beef cattle

Figures & data

Table 1. Concentrate composition and nutrient levels of the basal diet (air-dried basis), %.

Items	Content
	I	II	III	IV
Ingredients
Corn	32	32	32	32
Sprayed corn husks	10	10	10	10
Corn husk	10	0	0	0
Fermented Chinese herb residues	0	10	10	10
Sesame seed meal	5	5	5	5
DDGS	35	35	35	35
Syrup	3	3	3	3
NaCl	1	1	1	1
Mineral meal	3	3	3	3
Premix ^1)	1	1	1	1
Total	100	100	100	100
Chemical composition^2)
Dry matter (DM)	97.82	97.77	97.68	97.53
Organic matter (OM)	79.37	79.09	77.43	79.04
Crude protein (CP)	20.79	22.44	21.71	22.11
Ether extract (EE)	4.94	5.25	5.30	5.06
Crude fibre (CF)	10.43	10.36	7.19	7.49
Neutral detergent fibre (NDF)	38.51	32.79	31.72	33.43
Acid detergent fibre (ADF)	11.04	10.47	10.29	10.62
Ca	1.42	1.07	1.18	1.27
P	0.95	1.10	1.07	0.85
Gross Energy (MJ·kg^−1)	18.09	17.93	17.91	17.98

Note: 1) The premix provided the following per kg of diet: vitamin A 190 000 IU, vitamin E 2000 IU, vitamin D₃ 70 000 IU, Cu 460 mg, Mn 3 300 mg, Se 10 mg, Co 10 mg, Fe 2 100 mg, Zn 3 400 mg, I 19 mg, Ca 130 g, P 30 g.

2) Nutrient levels were measured in values.

The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Table 2. Bioactive substance composition and content of the residues used in groups II, III and IV.

Items	Groups			P value
	II	III	IV
Flavonoids (mg/g)	2.91 ± 0.26^b	3.92 ± 0.28^a	2.45 ± 0.18^b	0.0008
Reducing sugars (mg/g)	46.85 ± 0.43^c	94.29 ± 3.08^a	79.42 ± 2.05^b	<.0001
Alkaloids (μg/g)	4.66 ± 2.09	1.52 ± 0.15	2.57 ± 0.92	0.0676
Lactic acid (μmol/g)	308.41 ± 10.17	303.69 ± 7.26	310.57 ± 5.72	0.5836

Note: Values in the same row with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).

The groups were as follows: II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Table 3. Effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on the growth performance of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period.

Items	Groups				P value
	I	II	III	IV
IBW, kg	358.83 ± 71.08	358.67 ± 84.22	358.33 ± 53.48	358.33 ± 53.73	1.0000
FBW, kg	400.00 ± 73.53	401.00 ± 84.69	404.33 ± 44.57	408.17 ± 53.70	0.9964
TWG, kg	41.17 ± 8.08	42.33 ± 7.66	46.00 ± 12.54	46.83 ± 12.86	0.4955
ADG, kg/d	0.84 ± 0.16	0.87 ± 0.16	0.94 ± 0.26	1.02 ± 0.26	0.4917
ADFI, kg/d	44.28	44.28	44.28	44.28	–
DMI, kg/d	8.07 ± 1.28	8.14 ± 1.27	8.40 ± 0.63	8.72 ± 1.18	0.7475
F/G	9.05 ± 1.64	8.86 ± 2.07	8.53 ± 2.98	7.63 ± 1.76	0.6863

Note: Values in the same row with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).

IBW, initial body weight; FBW, final body weight; TWG, total weight gain; ADG, average daily gain; ADFI, average daily feed intake; DMI, dry matter intake; F/G, feed to gain ratio.

The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Table 4. Effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on nutrient apparent digestibility of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period (%).

Items	Groups				P value
	I	II	III	IV
DM	77.75 ± 3.79	78.13 ± 4.17	77.96 ± 2.83	77.49 ± 3.11	0.9536
OM	80.54 ± 3.40	81.42 ± 3.74	80.63 ± 2.85	79.33 ± 3.02	0.2959
EE	83.26 ± 4.37^b	85.54 ± 3.66^ab	86.66 ± 3.28^a	87.05 ± 3.03^a	0.0152
CP	81.53 ± 7.98	79.96 ± 4.28	77.33 ± 3.06	78.24 ± 3.84	0.0793
CF	71.31 ± 4.20	71.18 ± 7.04	68.97 ± 7.05	69.83 ± 4.45	0.5775
NDF	74.39 ± 4.82	73.11 ± 5.39	72.46 ± 4.12	72.54 ± 4.64	0.6006
ADF	67.90 ± 5.72	67.08 ± 6.50	67.04 ± 5.27	66.44 ± 4.95	0.8921
ADS	81.30 ± 4.08^a	81.26 ± 4.17^a	77.75 ± 3.59^b	78.11 ± 4.88^b	0.0134
NFE	84.96 ± 3.89^a	85.80 ± 2.82^a	85.16 ± 2.71^a	82.42 ± 3.28^b	0.0123
Ca	68.39 ± 6.17	68.45 ± 7.93	65.42 ± 7.33	68.22 ± 6.42	0.5238
P	69.44 ± 5.61^a	69.64 ± 6.72^a	68.05 ± 5.58^a	53.66 ± 8.27^b	<.0001

Note: Values in the same row with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).

DM, dry matter; OM, organic matter; EE, ether extract; CP, crude protein; CF, crude fibre; NDF, neutral detergent fibre; ADF, acid detergent fibre; ADS, hemicellulose; NFE, nitrogen-free extract; Ca, calcium; P, total phosphoru.

The groups were as follows:I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Table 5. Effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on serum biochemical indices of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period.

Items	Groups				P value
	I	II	III	IV
GLU, mmol/L	4.75 ± 1.43	3.87 ± 0.35	4.36 ± 0.37	4.48 ± 0.77	0.3403
CHO, mmol/L	2.92 ± 0.53	3.32 ± 0.31	2.97 ± 0.33	3.07 ± 0.66	0.5132
TG, mmol/L	0.14 ± 0.03	0.16 ± 0.03	0.16 ± 0.02	0.18 ± 0.02	0.3153
AST, U/L	88.89 ± 7.77	77.35 ± 7.63	78.93 ± 12.93	74.60 ± 9.46	0.1283
ALT, U/L	32.12 ± 9.04	25.89 ± 2.91	31.20 ± 5.40	26.44 ± 3.87	0.1692
ALP, U/L	142.52 ± 50.60	100.52 ± 35.00	97.78 ± 36.30	112.49 ± 25.42	0.2345
TP, g/L	65.72 ± 5.72	64.39 ± 3.38	69.14 ± 3.13	63.02 ± 4.03	0.0936
ALB, g/L	34.57 ± 3.78	34.88 ± 2.04	34.89 ± 2.21	33.84 ± 1.41	0.8618
GLOB, g/L	31.16 ± 5.38	29.51 ± 3.16	34.25 ± 4.70	29.18 ± 3.82	0.1906
Urea, mmol/L	3.00 ± 0.94	4.19 ± 1.21	3.48 ± 0.40	3.97 ± 0.60	0.1246

Note: Values in same row with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).

GLU, glucose; CHO, cholesterol; TG, triglyceride; AST, aspartate transaminase; ALT, alanine aminotransferase; ALP, alkaline phosphatase; TP, total protein; ALB, albumin; GLOB, globulin.

The groups were as follows:I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 1. Effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on serum antioxidant indices of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period.T-AOC, total antioxidant capacity; SOD, superoxide dismutase；MDA, malondialdehyde; GSH, glutathione.The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 2. Effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on serum immune indices of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period.IgA, immunoglobulin A; IgG, immunoglobulin G; IgM, immunoglobulin M.The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 3. OTU Venn diagram of intestinal flora in 4 groups of beef cattle.The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 4. Comparisons of the α diversity indices of beef gut microbiota among the four groups.The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 5. Differences in intestinal microbial β diversity between groups of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period based on unweighted UniFrac (A) and weighted UniFrac (B).The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 6. Principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) of intestinal microbiota in Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period based on unweighted UniFrac (A) and weighted UniFrac (B).the groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Table 6. Intestinal microbiome composition at the phylum level among the four groups of Simmental beef cattle (%).

Items	Groups				P value
	I	II	III	IV
Firmicutes	51.09 ± 3.14^ab	53.55 ± 2.49^a	47.52 ± 5.35^b	49.29 ± 2.39^ab	0.0474
Bacteroidetes	37.19 ± 2.89	37.91 ± 2.47	39.59 ± 2.93	38.73 ± 3.54	0.5495
Proteobacteria	4.72 ± 2.61	4.14 ± 2.48	6.76 ± 4.47	8.03 ± 4.33	0.2358
Spirochaetes	1.47 ± 0.37	1.51 ± 0.78	0.99 ± 0.24	0.89 ± 0.31	0.0710
Tenericutes	0.99 ± 0.20	0.81 ± 0.31	1.42 ± 1.37	1.10 ± 0.47	0.5512
Actinobacteria	0.86 ± 0.64^a	0.28 ± 0.14^b	1.00 ± 0.57^a	0.48 ± 0.25^ab	0.0404
Verrucomicrobia	1.03 ± 0.73^a	0.44 ± 0.18^b	0.45 ± 0.25^b	0.23 ± 0.11^b	0.0155
Patescibacteria	0.32 ± 0.09	0.49 ± 0.15	0.49 ± 0.23	0.47 ± 0.17	0.2880
Cyanobacteria	0.50 ± 0.13^a	0.40 ± 0.13^ab	0.30 ± 0.17^b	0.29 ± 0.08^b	0.0382
Acidobacteria	0.60 ± 0.49^a	0.001 ± 0.001^b	0.42 ± 0.33^a	0.003 ± 0.003^b	0.0036
Others	1.24 ± 0.42^a	0.48 ± 0.11^b	1.07 ± 0.48^a	0.49 ± 0.21^b	0.0010

Note: Values in the same row with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).

The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Table 7. Intestinal microbiome composition at the genus level among the four groups of Simmental beef cattle %.

Items	Groups				P value
	I	II	III	IV
Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group	10.58 ± 2.11	11.59 ± 0.49	10.70 ± 1.78	9.52 ± 0.95	0.1534
Ruminococcaceae UCG-005	10.52 ± 2.77	12.49 ± 1.19	10.04 ± 1.88	10.98 ± 1.11	0.1558
Ruminococcaceae UCG-010	9.47 ± 1.78	12.05 ± 1.46	10.09 ± 1.76	11.07 ± 1.35	0.0548
uncultured bacterium	7.36 ± 1.23	7.38 ± 0.61	7.54 ± 0.95	8.29 ± 0.79	0.2837
Bacteroides	4.40 ± 0.52^a	4.20 ± 0.66^ab	3.35 ± 0.56^c	3.52 ± 0.70^bc	0.0195
Alistipes	4.81 ± 0.70	5.00 ± 0.84	4.56 ± 0.69	3.96 ± 0.62	0.0986
[Eubacterium] coprostanoligenes group	3.90 ± 0.34	3.91 ± 0.33	4.07 ± 0.77	3.73 ± 0.45	0.7138
Uncultured	3.07 ± 0.23^a	2.61 ± 0.25^b	3.17 ± 0.43^a	2.82 ± 0.29^ab	0.0219
Prevotellaceae UCG-003	2.08 ± 0.49^b	2.48 ± 0.84^b	2.84 ± 1.65^ab	3.97 ± 0.96^a	0.0360
Ruminococcaceae UCG-013	2.61 ± 0.42	2.89 ± 0.30	2.61 ± 0.57	2.64 ± 0.26	0.5903
Others	41.18 ± 8.17	35.41 ± 1.44	41.04 ± 8.66	39.50 ± 4.76	0.3948

Note: Values in the same row with different superscript letters are significantly different (p < 0.05).

The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Figure 7. Bar chart of the relative abundance of intestinal microbial functional categories of Simmental beef cattle in each group. KEGG (A) and COG (B).The groups were as follows: I: basal diet; II: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with Chinese medicinal residue; III: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzyme-fermented Chinese medicinal residue; IV: diet prepared by replacing 10% corn husk with enzymatic bacteria co-fermented Chinese herb residue.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are openly available in NCBI, reference number [PRJNA1005949].