Effects of different attractants on the feeding preferences, growth, and blood parameters in the fattening of Hu sheep

This study evaluated the effects of adding different attractants to the diet on the feed preferences, growth performance, and blood parameters during the fattening of Hu sheep. The first experiment, including 32 and 48 Hu sheep, adopted a “double feeding trough” design to study the feed preferences of eight attractants, respectively. The second experiment, including 72 fattening Hu sheep, used a “single feeding trough” design to study the effects of the three optimal attractants on sheep growth. Compared to the control diet, the addition of the sweet combination (XTZH) and common orange smelting (TCNX) to the diet increased feeding preferences in the fattening of Hu sheep (P < 0.05). In contrast, the addition of hawthorn (SZX), Aroma (GX), and milk flavor (NX) to the diet reduced feeding preferences (P < 0.05). Fattening Hu sheep showed a higher preference for sweetener 2 (TWJ 2) compared to the control diet (P = 0.089), while the additions of sweetener 1 (TWJ1) and flavor (XWJ) showed no effects (P > 0.05). The results showed the following order of preferences of the eight attractants in Hu sheep: TCNX > XTZH > TWJ 2 > XWJ > TWJ 1 > SZX > GX > NX. The use of the three optimal attractants showed no differences in the growth performance and blood parameters of fattening Hu sheep (P > 0.05).