Effects of Chinese Herbal Mixture Extract on Growth, Immunity, Antioxidant Status, and Modulates Rumen Microbiota in Weaned Lambs.

CHE supplementation (0.2-0.4%) effectively alleviates weaning stress in lambs.

This randomized controlled trial evaluated a Chinese Herbal Mixture Extract (CHE) containing honeysuckle, astragalus, Melissa officinalis, and tangerine peel as a dietary supplement for weaned lambs. Forty-eight lambs were assigned to control or three CHE dosage groups (0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%) for 56 days. Medium and high-dose CHE significantly improved average daily gain, reduced feed conversion ratio, and enhanced apparent digestibility of crude protein and fiber fractions. The herbal supplement increased growth hormone and IGF-1 levels, boosted immunoglobulin concentrations, and enhanced antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, GSH-PX) while reducing oxidative stress markers (MDA). High-dose CHE improved serum total protein and calcium levels. Intestinal villus morphometry improved across all CHE groups without pathological lesions in major organs. Rumen microbiota analysis revealed that CHE supplementation increased Euryarchaeota abundance, positively affecting carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. These findings demonstrate that CHE effectively mitigates weaning stress through multi-modal mechanisms involving improved growth performance, enhanced immune and antioxidant status, and favorable shifts in rumen microbial composition.

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