Effects of evisceration and storage temperature on changes in meat quality of traditional farm‐fresh Turkeys

1. Conditions affecting the keeping quality of traditional farm‐fresh turkeys were investigated.

2. Storage of uneviscerated Wrolstad turkeys at 4 °C for 10 days caused no statistically significant changes in meat flavour or texture.

3. During further storage at —2 °C, however, there was a slight but significant change in flavour, which became more marked with time in birds which had been eviscerated after the initial period at 4 °C.

4. Both eviscerated and uneviscerated birds became slightly tougher during storage.

5. Initial holding at 4 °C increased the numbers of psychrotrophic bacteria on the skin by about 10³ but subsequent changes at — 2 °C were slight for uneviscerated birds.

6. Eviscerated carcases had higher counts than uneviscerated birds after storage at — 2 °C and, although ‘off’ odours were not detected, spoilage appeared to be imminent at the end of the 20‐d period.     

Responses in growth,food intake and food conversion efficiency to different dietary protein concentrations in meat‐type lines of Japanese quail

1. A total of 360 Japanese quail of 4 commercial meat‐type lines and two diet treatments (260 and 216 g/kg or 238 and 195 g/kg of crude protein (CP) in the starter and grower diet, respectively) were used.

2. The positive effect of a high CP diet on body weight was significant only for the first 4 weeks after hatching.

3. The mean age at inflection point of the growth curve (t ⁺) across lines and sexes was 1.4 d (0.6 to 2.8 d within line/sex groups) earlier for quail fed on a high CP diet than in quail receiving a low CP diet. The inflection (y ⁺) and asymptotic (A) weights were similar under both dietary protein concentrations. Nevertheless, the shape of the growth curve, characterised by the ratio y⁺1A and parameter of the maturing rate k, was significantly influenced by diet.

4. A higher food intake and less efficient food conversion were found for quail fed on a high CP diet in the period from 15 to 28 d of age.

5. The fattening traits such as body weight, cumulative food intake and food conversion, were not affected by dietary CP content at the age of 5 weeks.

6. The effects of line on body weight, food intake and food conversion are discussed.     

Effects of single or combined dietary supplementation of β-glucan and kefir on growth performance,blood characteristics and meat quality in broilers

1. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary β-glucan and kefir (a fermented milk product) on growth performance, blood profiles, relative organ weight and meat quality in broilers.

2. A total of 375 day-of-hatch mixed sex ROSS 308 broilers (BW of 46 ± 0.1 g) were used in a 5-week experiment and randomly allotted to one of the following dietary treatments: (1) NC, basal diet; (2) PC, basal diet + 40 mg/kg of avilamycin; (3) B, NC + 0.1% β-glucan; (4) K, NC + 0.1% kefir; (5) BK, NC + 0.1% β-glucan + 0.1% kefir.

3. During weeks 0–3, broilers in B, K and BK treatments had higher body weight gain (BWG) than those in NC treatment. During weeks 4–5, BK treatment had a higher BWG than NC treatment. Overall, broilers given PC, K and BK diets had higher BWG than those given NC diet. The feed efficiency ratio (FCR) was improved by PC treatment.

4. Relative liver weight was increased by B treatment, whereas the relative weight of breast meat and gizzard was higher in BK group than that in NC group. Broilers given PC, B and BK diets had greater breast meat redness value and reduced drip loss at d 5 and d 7. The cooking loss was also reduced by B and BK treatments compared with NC treatment.

5. In conclusion, the results suggested that inclusion of 0.1% β-glucan and 0.1% kefir, either individually or combined, would improve growth performance and benefit meat quality in broiler chickens.     

Effect of dietary DL‐ethionine on growth and liver metabolism

1. The effects of DL‐ethionine, given in the diet or by injection, on growth, hepatic glycogen and lipids, and the activities of some cytoplasmic NAD‐linked dehydrogenases and NADPH‐producing enzymes were investigated.

2. Growth virtually ceased after feeding ethionine for 2 d.

3. Ethionine induced an accumulation of lipid, decreased the activities of malic enzyme and isocitrate dehydrogenase and increased the activity of lactate dehydrogenase.

4. The concentration of glycogen in the liver of ethionine‐fed chickens increased for 3 d in spite of a decrease in food intake, but then decreased.     

Effect of dietary contents of cholecalciferol, 1α,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol and 24,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol on blood concentrations of 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol, 1α,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol,total calcium and eggshell quality

1. Withdrawal of cholecalciferol (D₃) supplement from a layers diet drastically reduced blood 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol (25‐OH‐D₃), 1α,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol (calcitriol) and egg specific gravity (SG) within two weeks, followed by a decrease in blood total calcium (Ca).

2. Doubling the D₃ supplement in the control diet (27.5 μg or 1100 IU/kg) almost linearly increased the circulating concentration of 25‐OH‐D₃ without raising the concentration of calcitriol, Ca, or egg SG.

3. Replacing D₃ by the optimal concentration of calcitriol (5 μg/kg diet) improved egg SG after 21 weeks of treatment without increasing blood calcitriol or total Ca.

4. By itself, 24,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol [24,25‐(OH)₂D₃] was unable to maintain normal blood levels of calcitriol, Ca or egg SG and, when added together with calcitriol in the diet, tended to elevate blood Ca but suppress the beneficial effect of calcitriol on shell quality, with little or no effect on blood calcitriol.     

Quantitative effects of pelleting on performance,gastrointestinal tract and behaviour of meat‐type chickens

1. In an attempt to quantify the effects of “degree” of pelleting, two experiments were conducted. Diets were prepared by mixing together a mash composed mainly of maize (experiment 1) or sorghum (experiment 2) with soft pellets, or soft pellets mixed with hard pellets.

2. The pelleting degrees (PDs) were as follows: 0 mash; 0·5 mixture of soft pellets and mash 1 to 1; 1 soft pellets pelleted once; 1·5 mixture of soft and hard pellets 1 to 1; 2 hard pellets pelleted twice.

3. In experiment 2, the weight and length of the digestive organs were determined as well as digestive enzyme activities. In both experiments, the behaviour recorded was eating, standing, sitting and drinking.

4. Food intake and body weight gain were related to the degree of pelleting in a curvilinear manner. PD had a positive effect up to a peak (1 to 1·5 PD), after which its effect decreased. Food efficiency was not related to PD. In experiment 1, food efficiency of PDs 1 to 2 were superior to PDs 0 to 0·5 and in experiment 2, PDs 1·5 to 2 were superior to PD 0.

5. The relative weight of the gizzard was reduced by pelleting, whereas pelleting increased the relative weight of abdominal fat. The content of the crop was not affected by PD, whereas that of the proventriculus was lowest in the PD 2 group. Gizzard content was inversely related to PD. Pelleting reduced the length of the jejunum and ileum: which were shortened by about 15% with PDs 1 to 2, as compared to PD 0. The weight/length ratio of the jejunum and ileum tended to increase with increasing PD to a peak at PD 1·5, and to decrease thereafter.

6. Trypsin activity in the pancreas and amylase activity in the intestinal content were reduced by pelleting.

7. Chicks fed pelleted diets were less active: they ‘sat’ more and spent less time eating than their mash‐fed counterparts.     

Effects of dietary γ-aminobutyric acid supplementation on antioxidant status,blood hormones and meat quality in growing-finishing pigs undergoing transport stress

γ-Aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a natural nonprotein amino acid distributed in animals, plants and microbes. GABA is an inhibiting neurotransmitter which takes great effect in mammalian central nervous system. We carried out the research to study the influence of GABA on blood hormone concentrations, antioxidant status and meat quality in fattening pigs after transportation. The 72 pigs with a starting weight of approximately 32.67 ± 0.62 kg were randomly allocated to 2 groups based on dietary treatments, containing 6 replicates with 6 pigs in each. The pigs were fed dietary supplementation of GABA (0 or 30 mg/kg of diets) for 74 days. Twelve pigs were randomly selected from each group and assigned to the either 1 hr of transport (T group) or no transport (N group), resulting in two-factor factorial design. Compared to the control, GABA supplementation increased average daily gain (ADG) (p < .01) and decreased feed–gain ratio (F/G) (p < .05). The pH_45 min was lower and drip loss was greater in the longissimus muscles (LM) of post-slaughter of transported pigs (p < .05). The pH_45 min of 0/T group (group with 0 mg/kg GABA and transport) was significantly lower than the pH_45 min of the 30/T group (diet × transport; p < .05). GABA supplementation significantly increased serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) concentration (p < .05) before transportation. Following transport, pigs fed GABA had decreased concentrations of serum malonaldehyde (MDA), adrenal cortical hormone and cortisol (p < .05). The results indicate that feeding GABA significantly increased the growth performance of growing-finishing pigs. The transportation model negatively impacted meat quality, antioxidant indexes and hormone parameters, but dietary supplementation of GABA could suppress the rise of drip loss of LM, ACTH and COR and suppress the drop of pH_45 min of LM after transportation stress in growing-finishing pigs. Feeding GABA alleviated transportation stress in pigs.     

Effect of β-glucosidase on the meat quality and digestibility in broilers

This study investigated the effects of supplementary β-glucosidase on the carcass composition, meat quality, weight of digestive organ and apparent digestibility in male broilers. Two hundred and forty male, 1-day avine broiler chicks were randomly allocated into four treatment groups and fed with corn-soya bean meal supplemented with 0 (control), 0.6, 1.2 and 1.8 U/g of β-glucosidase respectively. The results showed that there were no significant differences (p > 0.05) among groups in carcass composition (percentages of eviscerated yield, half-eviscerated yield, muscle yield of breast and leg). However, adding 0.6 U/g β-glucosidase to the diet not only altered the meat quality by decreasing the drip loss ratio (p < 0.05) and relative lightness (L*) value (p < 0.01), increasing relative redness (a*) value (p < 0.01), but also significantly decreased the pancreas to body weight ratio (p < 0.05), however, with little effect on liver, proventriculus and gizzard to body weight ratio (p > 0.05). The length and width of duodenum villus were not affected by the addition of β-glucosidase, but the coefficients of total tract apparent digestibility of protein and fat increased by 9.02% (p < 0.05) and 7.40% (p < 0.01) respectively; the parameters of ash were not affected by β-glucosidase addition (p < 0.05). This study provided valuable information for evaluation of the effect of supplementary β-glucosidase on the meat quality and digestibility of broilers.     

Effect of dietary digestible lysine level on growth performance,blood metabolites and meat quality of broilers 23–38 days of age

This study was done to evaluate the effects of different dietary digestible lysine (dig Lys) levels on growth performance, blood metabolites, carcass and breast yield, and breast meat quality of broilers 23–38 days of age. Three hundred 23-day-old Cobb-500 male broiler chickens were allocated to a completely randomized design with five treatments (finisher diet containing 0.88%, 0.94%, 1.00%, 1.06% and 1.12% dig Lys) and six replicates of 10 birds each. Feed intake (FI) was not affected by different dietary dig Lys levels. Weight gain (WG) linearly increased and feed conversion ratio (FCR) linearly decreased with an increasing dietary dig Lys levels. With increasing dietary dig Lys levels, carcass and breast yield and breast meat hue angle (h^*) linearly increased, but abdominal fat decreased quadratically, whereas breast meat lightness (L^*) and ether extract composition linearly decreased. Dietary dig Lys levels did not show any significant effect on serum metabolites, breast meat cooking loss and water holding capacity. Based on the linear broken-line regression models, the weight gain, feed conversion ratio and breast yield were optimized when dietary dig Lys levels were 0.95%, 1.01% and 1.02% respectively. It is concluded that Lys requirements vary according to what productive parameter is taken for optimization. A minimum of 1.02% dig Lys concentration in the finisher diet is suggested to optimize breast yield, feed efficiency and performance in broiler chickens.     

Effect of light,vitamin d and dietary phosphorus on egg‐shell quality late in the pullet laying year

1. Eighteen diets supplying all combinations of three phosphorus contents (3.1, 4.0 and 4.8 g non‐phytate P/kg) and six vitamin D supplements (37.5 or 150 μg cholecalciferol/kg; or 16 or 24 μg 25‐hydroxy‐cholecalciferol/kg; or 37.5 μg cholecalciferol/kg with either 16 or 24 μg 25‐hydroxycholecalciferol/kg) were fed to 2 880 pullets of two stocks from 64 to 74 weeks of age. The birds were housed in eight light‐proof rooms, four of which had 24‐h light‐dark cycles (16L : 8D) and four had 28‐h cycles (20L : 8D).

2. The dietary treatments had no significant effect upon food intake, egg output, shell thickness, shell deformation or specific gravity of the eggs.

3. The 28‐h cycle reduced mean rate of lay by 4.5%, increased egg weight by 5.8% and increased shell thickness by 9.4%. The proportion of eggs with shell faults revealed on candling was reduced from 4.1 % to 2.8%.

4. It is concluded from this and other sources that decreasing dietary phosphorus or modifying vitamin D supplements may sometimes lead to increases in shell thickness of the order of 1 to 2%, but that these changes are unlikely to result in a measurable reduction in the proportion of cracked eggs late in the laying year.

5. A 28‐h light‐dark cycle results in a longer and more uniform interval between consecutive ovipositions and thus gives reliable increases in shell thickness which are large enough to reduce the proportion of cracked eggs in many practical situations. Whether it is profitable to use an ahemeral cycle will depend upon the relative prices paid for eggs of different sizes.     

Effects of different dietary energy and protein levels and sex on growth performance,carcass characteristics and meat quality of F1 Angus?×?Chinese Xiangxi yellow cattle

Background

The experiment evaluated the effect of nutrition levels and sex on the growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of F1 Angus × Chinese Xiangxi yellow cattle.

Methods

During the background period of 184 d,23 steers and 24 heifers were fed the same ration,then put into a 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement under two levels of - dietary energy (TDN: 70/80% DM), protein (CP: 11.9/14.3% DM) and sex (S: male/female) during the finishing phase of 146 d. The treatments were - (1) high energy/low protein (HELP), (2) high energy/high protein (HEHP), (3) low energy/low protein (LELP) and (4) low energy/high protein (LEHP). Each treatment used 6 steers and 6 heifers, except for HELP- 5 steers and 6 heifers.

Results

Growth rate and final carcass weight were unaffected by dietary energy and protein levels or by sex. Compared with the LE diet group, the HE group had significantly lower dry matter intake (DMI, 6.76 vs. 7.48 kg DM/d), greater chest girth increments (46.1 vs. 36.8 cm), higher carcass fat (19.9 vs.16.3%) and intramuscular fat content (29.9 vs. 22.8% DM). The HE group also had improved yields of top and medium top grade commercial meat cuts (39.9 vs.36.5%). The dressing percentage was higher for the HP group than the LP group (53.4 vs. 54.9%). Steers had a greater length increment (9.0 vs. 8.3 cm), but lower carcass fat content (16.8 vs. 19.4%) than heifers. The meat quality traits (shear force value, drip loss, cooking loss and water holding capacity) were not affected by treatments or sex, averaging 3.14 kg, 2.5, 31.5 and 52.9%, respectively. The nutritive profiles (both fatty and amino acid composition) were not influenced by the energy or protein levels or by sex.

Conclusions

The dietary energy and protein levels and sex significantly influenced the carcass characteristics and chemical composition of meat but not thegrowth performance, meat quality traits and nutritive profiles.     

Effects of dietary enrichment with n–3 fatty acids on the quality of raw and processed breast meat of high and low growth rate chickens

1. The enrichment of raw poultry meat with n–3 fatty acids (n–3 FA) has been investigated in detail, particularly in high growth rate genotype standard broiler chickens, whereas low growth rate genotype Label Rouge chickens have received less attention. With the increased development of processed poultry products, it is necessary to ensure that the nutritional and sensory quality of meat enriched with n–3 FA is not affected by processing.

2. Two experiments were undertaken for this purpose. In the first experiment, 696 male Ross 708 chickens were reared under standard conditions, and in the second, 750 male JA 657 chickens were reared under Label Rouge conditions. All birds received the same starting and growing diets containing palm and soya oils in each experiment. Birds were distributed into three groups from 21 or 57 d of age for standard and Label Rouge chickens, respectively, and given a control, linseed oil or extruded linseed diet. Diets were also supplemented with vitamin E (100–200 mg/kg). Birds were slaughtered at 56 or 84 d of age for standard and Label Rouge chickens, respectively. A total amount of 60 kg of breast meat from each group was processed into white cured-cooked meat.

3. The dietary treatment had no effect on the growth performance of chickens or meat yield. The use of extruded linseed or linseed oil only decreased the carcass fatness of the standard chickens but had no effect on the carcass fatness of Label Rouge chickens. The nutritional quality of raw and cured-cooked meat was improved (increased concentration of n–3 FA), whereas the technological quality of the meat (pH, juice loss after cold storage, susceptibility to oxidation, colour, processing yield and shear force value) and sensory quality of the processed products were not or slightly affected.

4. Linked to lower breast yield, to lower lipid content in breast meat and to higher slaughter age, Label Rouge chickens seemed to be less efficient for n–3 FA deposition in breast muscles than standard chickens.     

Effects of different formulations of α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E) on growth performance,meat quality and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens

1. The objective of this study was to investigate and compare the effects of α-tocopherol acetate (vitamin E (VE)) and microencapsulated VE (MVE) on growth performance, meat quality and antioxidant capacity in broiler chickens.

2. A total of 360 d-old broiler chicks were procured and randomly allocated into three groups with 6 replicates. Each replicate had 20 chickens. Chickens were fed with basal diets (CON group) or experimental diets supplemented with 20 mg/kg VE (VE group) or 20 mg/kg MVE (MVE group) for 42 d.

3. The results showed that the MVE group had higher body weight gain (BWG) than the CON and VE groups, and higher gain/feed ratio (G/F ratio) than the CON group during the period of 22–42 d. During the whole experiment, a higher increase in BWG was found in the MVE group than the CON group.

4. Chickens fed on diets supplemented with the VE or MVE had lower abdominal fat percentage, higher pH and antioxidant enzyme activity than the CON group in the breast meat.

5. There was an increased tendency in the hepatic glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) enzyme activity of the VE and MVE groups than the CON group. The hepatic mitochondrial total antioxidant capacity and GSH-Px enzyme activity in the MVE group were higher than the CON group. Hepatic 2,2-dipheny-?-picrylhydrazyl scavenging activity of the MVE group was higher than the CON group.

6. These results suggested that the dietary addition of VE or MVE could improve breast meat quality in broilers. MVE supplementation may improve growth performance, hepatic mitochondrial antioxidant capacity and free radical scavenging capacity in chickens. In addition, dietary supplementation of MVE gave better broiler growth performance than VE.

     

Interaction between dietary 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol and calcium and effects of management on the occurrence of tibial dyschondroplasia,leg abnormalities and performance in broiler chickens

1. Two experiments were performed to compare the relative effectiveness of feeding 1,25‐dihydroxycholecalciferol (1,25‐DHCG) in minimising leg abnormalities in broilers with other methods and to investigate interactions between dietary 1,25‐DHCC and calcium.

2. Adding 5 μg 1,25‐DHCC/kg to a diet containing 12 g calcium/kg was more effective than early food restriction or meal feeding in preventing leg abnormalities but was found to cause a growth depression.

3. The second experiment, which had a factorial design, with diets containing 7.5, 100 and 12.5 g calcium and 0, 2.0, 3.5 and 5.0 μg 1,25‐DHCC/kg, showed linear and quadratic interactions between these dietary factors. Diets with higher concentrations of both 1,25‐DHCC and calcium resulted in growth depression associated with hypercalcaemia.

4. The incidence of tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) at 3 weeks of age was highest with the basal diet containing 7.5 g calcium/kg and was markedly reduced by addition of 1,25‐DHCC and/or calcium. The incidence was very low or non‐existent when 1,25‐DHCC was fed at 3–5 μg/kg or greater.

5. Feeding 5 μg/kg 1,25‐DHCC had no effect on plasma 1,25‐DHCC concentrations, although at the higher dietary calcium contents plasma concentrations of 25‐hydroxy‐ and 24,25‐dihydroxy‐cholecalciferol were lower in those birds fed 1,25‐DHCC.

6. It is concluded that 1,25‐DHCC is most effective in preventing TD without accompanying growth depression when it is fed in conjunction with diets containing less than 10 g calcium/kg.     

Antimicrobial substances and chick growth promotion: The growth‐promoting activities of antimicrobial substances,including fifty‐two used either in therapy or as dietary additives

1. Fifty‐five antimicrobial substances were tested for their ability to promote growth when added to the diet of chicks.

2. Both cephalosporins and all the nine penicillins tested were active.

3. Of six aminoglycosides, streptomycin and gentamicin had the greatest activity and neomycin had none.

4. Growth rate was significantly improved by clindamycin, lincomycin, vancomycin, spectinomycin, rifampicin, oxytetracycline, chlortetracycline, erythromycin, tylosin, flavomycin, virginiamycin and zinc bacitracin. Chloramphenicol and nalidixic acid were inactive. Polymixin B, novo‐biocin, cycloserine, phosphonomycin, and sodium fusidate had little activity. Fusidic acid promoted growth at 250 mg/kg diet.

5. Trimethoprim was inactive alone and in combination with sulpha‐diazine. Of seven 5‐nitroimidazoles, only dimetridazole and metronidazole showed slight activity. Of the six 5‐nitrofurans, only nitrovin, the standard reference substance used, promoted growth.

6. Caprylohydroxamic acid, a urease inhibitor, had no beneficial effect on growth rate or on the efficiency of food conversion.

7. The growth‐promoting properties of the various substances could not be related with their known antimicrobial and absorption characteristics in mammals.     

Plasma growth hormone and insulin‐like growth factor‐I (IGF‐I) concentrations at the onset of lay in ad libitum and restricted broiler breeder fowl

1. Plasma concentrations of growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I) were determined in individually caged broiler breeder females from 17 to 30 weeks of age. The birds were fed ad libitum or restricted during rearing in a randomised block design. Restricted birds were fed ad libitum after laying an egg and egg production was recorded to 54 weeks.

2. GH concentrations were higher in restricted compared with ad libitum‐fed birds at 17 to 21 weeks of age and were similar thereafter. Plasma IGF‐I concentrations were higher in restricted compared with ad libitum‐fed birds throughout the sampling period of the experiment.

3. The age at first egg was delayed by about two weeks in restricted birds. At 54 weeks of age they had laid 114 compared with 67 eggs in birds fed ad libitum throughout and had produced less than half the number of eggs with defective shells.

4. It was suggested that differences in egg production between ad libitum and restricted broiler breeder females could be related to changes in the pattern of GH and/or IGF‐I secretion.     

Effects of force‐feeding and dietary cereals on gastrointestinal size,intestinal absorptive ability and endogenous nitrogen in ducks

1. Gastrointestinal size, intestinal absorption of glucose and L‐methionine, and intestinal endogenous nitrogen in Pekin ducks were measured after the birds were subjected to force‐feeding with excessive amounts of a diet based on maize or barley for 12 d.

2. Force‐feeding significantly increased the weight and area of the crop, the weight of the proventriculus, the length and area of the jejunum and ileum, but decreased the weight of the gizzard and the thickness of its caudodorsal thick muscle. Feeding a barley‐based diet also decreased the thickness of caudodorsal thick muscle of gizzard.

3. Force‐feeding enhanced the absorption rates (μmol/cm²) of glucose and L‐methionine in both jejunum and ileum. Ducks fed on a maize‐based diet showed a slightly higher absorption rate of glucose compared to those fed on a barley‐based diet.

4. Force‐feeding caused a significant increase of endogenous non‐protein nitrogen (μg/cm²/h) in both jejunum and ileum and a slight increase of endogenous protein nitrogen in the jejunum.     

Effects of fermented soybean residues on growth performance,apparent nutrient digestibility,meat quality and serum biochemical indexes of Hu sheep北大核心CSCD

The experiment was conducted to study the effects of fermented soybean residues on growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, meat quality and blood physiological indexes of Hu sheep, and to investigate the value of fermented soybean residues in the production of meat sheep. In the present study, twenty-one healthy male Hu sheep with similar body weight were selected and randomly allocated into a basal diet （control） group, a soybean residue group （basal diet+20% soybean residue, SR） or a fermented soybean residues group （basal diet+20% fermented soybean residues, FSR）, with 7 animals in each group. The experiment lasted for 49 days, including a 7-day adaptation period. The results were as follows: 1）Compared with the control and SR groups, addition of 20% fermented soybean residues in the diet （FSR） significantly increased the average daily weight gain of Hu sheep （P< 0.05） and significantly reduced the weight gain cost （P<0.05）. 2） The apparent digestibility of dry matter （DM）, crude protein （CP） and neutral detergent fiber （NDF） of Hu sheep in the fermented soybean residues group was significantly higher than that in other groups （P<0.05）. 3） Compared with the SR group, the carcass weight of the FSR group was increased （P<0.05）, while the dressing percentage, meat redness values of the FSR group were greater than those of the other groups （P<0.05）, and the drip loss was lower than other groups （P<0.05）. 4） Compared with the control and SR groups, the serum total protein content of the FSR group was increased （P< 0.05）, and the urea nitrogen content was reduced （P<0.05）. Compared with the SR group, the serum albumin content of the FSR group was increased significantly （P<0.05）. In conclusion, the addition of fermented soybean residues in the diet significantly improved the average daily gain of Hu sheep, reduced the feed cost, improved the apparent digestibility of DM, CP and NDF, and improved the meat quality and serum biochemical indexes. © 2022 Editorial Office of Acta Prataculturae Sinica. All rights reserved.