title: Traditional chinese medicine prescriptions enhance growth performance of heat stressed beef cattle by relieving heat stress responses and increasing apparent nutrient digestibility.
abstract: The present aim was to investigate the effects of traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions (TCM) on body temperature, blood physiological parameters, nutrient apparent digestibility and growth performance of beef cattle under heat stress conditions. Twenty-seven beef cattle were randomly divided into three groups as following; i) high temperature control (HTC), ii) traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions I+high temperature (TCM I) and iii) traditional Chinese medicine prescriptions II+high temperature (TCM II) (n = 9 per group). The results showed that the mean body temperature declined in TCM II treatment (p<0.05). Serum T3 and T4 levels with TCM I and TCM II treatments elevated (p<0.05), and serum cortisol levels of TCM I treatments decreased (p<0.05), compared with the HTC group. Total protein, albumin, globulin in TCM II treatments elevated and blood urea nitrogen levels of both TCM treatments increased, but glucose levels of both TCM treatments decreased, compared with the HTC group (p<0.05). The apparent digestibility of organic matter and crude protein with TCM I treatment increased, and the apparent digestibility of acid detergent fiber elevated in both TCM treatments (p<0.05). Average daily feed intake was not different among three groups, however average daily gain increased and the feed:gain ratio decreased with both TCM treatments, compared with the HTC group (p<0.05). The present results suggest that dietary supplementation with TCM I or TCM II improves growth performance of heat stressed beef cattle by relieving heat stress responses and increasing nutrient apparent digestibility.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Xiaozhen
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Junrong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Daibo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Xianghui
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Kornmatitsuk
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bunlue
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Zhensong
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Veterinary Science, Mahidol University, Phutthamonthon, Nakhon Pathom 73170, Thailand .
authors.forename: Mingren
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Qu
keywords: Beef Cattle; Growth Performance; Heat Stress; Nutrient Apparent Digestibility; Traditional Chinese Medicines