Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture and Animal Science, University of Torbat-e Jam, Torbat-e Jam, Iran.
Saffron Institute, University of Torbat Heydarieh, Torbat Heydarieh, Iran.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2024 Oct 23;56(8):350. doi: 10.1007/s11250-024-04206-5.
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) is a plant known for its diverse medicinal and nutritional properties, which has adapted well to arid and semi-arid regions of the world, particularly in the Middle East. Research on saffron wastes (SW) as a dietary additive for small ruminants is limited. Therefore, two primary experiments were designed to evaluate the nutritional potential of SW. In the first trial, the nutritional value of SW collected from various regions in northeast Iran was assessed through proximate analysis and in vitro procedures. In the second trial, the effects of incorporating SW (a 1: 1 mixture from all regions, w: w) at two levels (30 and 60 g/day) into the diets of Afshari male lambs were investigated in comparison to a control diet. Except for dry matter and ether extract contents, other chemical and mineral compounds varied among the SW collected from different regions. The samples displayed diversity in potential gas production and estimated dry matter intake (DMI). In the in vivo experiment, DMI, nutrient digestibility, and most blood metabolites were not significantly affected by the addition of SW; however, malondialdehyde, total antioxidant capacity, and cholesterol levels were respectively decreased, increased, and decreased in lambs fed 60 g SW/day compared to the control group. Overall, SW collected from various regions demonstrated different nutritional values. Although the dietary inclusion of SW at the level of 60 g/day did not adversely effect on DMI, nutrient digestibility, or certain blood metabolites, it is suggested for its potential improvement in lambs' health indicators. Long-term studies are recommended for future SW evaluation in vivo.
藏红花（Crocus sativus L.）是一种具有多种药用和营养价值的植物，它已适应了世界上干旱和半干旱地区的环境，特别是在中东地区。关于藏红花废料（SW）作为小反刍动物饲料添加剂的研究有限。因此，设计了两个主要实验来评估 SW 的营养潜力。在第一个试验中，通过常规分析和体外程序评估了来自伊朗东北部不同地区的 SW 的营养价值。在第二个试验中，将 SW（来自所有地区的 1:1 混合物，w:w）以 30 和 60 g/天的两个水平添加到 Afshari 雄性羔羊的日粮中，并与对照日粮进行了比较。除了干物质和乙醚提取物含量外，其他化学和矿物质化合物在不同地区采集的 SW 之间存在差异。这些样品在潜在气体产生和估计干物质采食量（DMI）方面表现出多样性。在体内试验中，添加 SW 并未显著影响 DMI、养分消化率和大多数血液代谢物；然而，与对照组相比，每天喂 60 g SW 的羔羊的丙二醛、总抗氧化能力和胆固醇水平分别降低、增加和降低。总的来说，来自不同地区的 SW 表现出不同的营养价值。尽管日粮中添加 SW 至 60 g/天的水平不会对 DMI、养分消化率或某些血液代谢物产生不利影响，但建议将其用于改善羔羊的健康指标。建议进行长期研究，以进一步评估 SW 在体内的应用。
