Effects of dietary inclusion of myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis) on feed intake, digestibility, and some blood and hematological parameters in Kermani sheeps
1
Dept. of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture, University of Jiroft
2
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, JiroftUniversity, Jiroft, Iran
10.22092/vj.2026.370908.2252
Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, the use of natural compounds, particularly medicinal plants, as alternatives to chemical additives in animal nutrition has attracted the attention of researchers. Myrtus communis is among the medicinal plants with multiple bioactive properties such as flavonoids, tannins, essential oils, and phenolic acids, which may influence the physiological performance of livestock. Objective: Given the limited experimental studies on the effects of Myrtus communis leaves in ruminants, this study was designed to investigate the effects of different inclusion levels (2.5% and 5% of dietary dry matter) of Myrtus communis leaves on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, and liver enzymes in Kermani sheep. Methods: Fifteen one-year-old male Kermani lambs with an average body weight of 32.2 ± 2 kg were randomly assigned to three experimental groups: control (without Myrtus leaves), treatment 1 (2.5% Myrtus leaves), and treatment 2 (5% Myrtus leaves). The experimental period consisted of 14 days of adaptation and 7 days of sampling. Data were analyzed using a completely randomized design and Tukey’s test at a 5% significance level. Results: Feed intake in treatment 1 was significantly higher than in treatment 2 and the control group, whereas the digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, NDF, ADF, and crude protein was not affected by the treatments. Blood metabolites and hematological indices showed no significant differences. AST levels in treatment 2 were significantly higher than in the control group (P<0.05), and ALT levels were significantly elevated in both treatment groups compared to control. Conclusion: The observed increase in liver enzymes, particularly AST and ALT, suggests a potential risk of hepatic stress. Therefore, the use of Myrtus communis leaves in sheep nutrition should be approached with caution, and further studies are recommended to determine safe inclusion levels and assess long-term effects.
Rafeiei, M. , Bahrampour, J. , Barazandeh, A. and Badakhshan, Y. (2026). Effects of dietary inclusion of myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis) on feed intake, digestibility, and some blood and hematological parameters in Kermani sheeps. Veterinary Research & Biological Products, (), -. doi: 10.22092/vj.2026.370908.2252
MLA
Rafeiei, M. , , Bahrampour, J. , , Barazandeh, A. , and Badakhshan, Y. . "Effects of dietary inclusion of myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis) on feed intake, digestibility, and some blood and hematological parameters in Kermani sheeps", Veterinary Research & Biological Products, , , 2026, -. doi: 10.22092/vj.2026.370908.2252
HARVARD
Rafeiei, M., Bahrampour, J., Barazandeh, A., Badakhshan, Y. (2026). 'Effects of dietary inclusion of myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis) on feed intake, digestibility, and some blood and hematological parameters in Kermani sheeps', Veterinary Research & Biological Products, (), pp. -. doi: 10.22092/vj.2026.370908.2252
CHICAGO
M. Rafeiei , J. Bahrampour , A. Barazandeh and Y. Badakhshan, "Effects of dietary inclusion of myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis) on feed intake, digestibility, and some blood and hematological parameters in Kermani sheeps," Veterinary Research & Biological Products, (2026): -, doi: 10.22092/vj.2026.370908.2252
VANCOUVER
Rafeiei, M., Bahrampour, J., Barazandeh, A., Badakhshan, Y. Effects of dietary inclusion of myrtle leaves (Myrtus communis) on feed intake, digestibility, and some blood and hematological parameters in Kermani sheeps. Veterinary Research & Biological Products, 2026; (): -. doi: 10.22092/vj.2026.370908.2252
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