Ingredients and nutrient composition of the experimental diets.

<p>¹ CONT  =  control; EML  =  ensiled mulberry leaves; SMFP  =  sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace.</p><p>² Supplied per kilogram of dietary DM: 15 mg of Cu, 65 mg of Zn, 28 mg of Mn, 0.7 mg of I, 0.2 mg of Co, 0.3 mg of Se, 6,000 IU of vitamin A, 600 IU of vitamin D, and 47 IU of vitamin E.</p><p>³ ME  =  metabolizable energy; CP  =  crude protein; ADF  =  acid detergent fiber.</p

Blood biochemical parameters of finishing steers fed a total mixed ration supplemented with ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) or sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP).

<p>¹ CONT  =  control; EML  =  ensiled mulberry leaves; SMFP  =  sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace.</p><p>² HDL: High density lipoprotein; LDL: Low density lipoprotein; VLDL: Very low density lipoprotein.</p

Carcass characteristics of finishing steers fed a total mixed ration supplemented with ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) or sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP).

<p>¹ CONT  =  control; EML  =  ensiled mulberry leaves; SMFP  =  sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace.</p><p>² LMA  =  LM area measured at 12^th rib.</p><p>³ Fat color measurements obtained approximately 20 cm ventrally to the lateral process of the split carcass adjacent the 13th rib.</p><p>⁴ CIE color measurements: L*  =  lightness, black (0) to white (100); positive a*  =  red; negative a*  =  green; positive b*  =  yellow; negative b*  =  blue; c* =  color saturation  =  [(a*)² + (b*)²]^1/2 whereby a large number is considered to be more vivid.</p

Growth performance of finishing steers fed a total mixed ration supplemented with ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) or sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP).

<p>¹ CONT  =  control; EML  =  ensiled mulberry leaves; SMFP  =  sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace.</p

Effect of Ensiled Mulberry Leaves and Sun-Dried Mulberry Fruit Pomace on Finishing Steer Growth Performance, Blood Biochemical Parameters, and Carcass Characteristics

<div><p>Fifty-one Simmental crossbred steers (357.0±16.5 kg) were used to compare a standard total mix ration (TMR) with variants on animal performance, ruminal fermentation, blood biochemical parameters, and carcass characteristics. Corn grain and cotton seed meal were partially replaced by ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) or sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP). Experimental diets had similar amounts of crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and metabolizable energy (ME). Animals were divided into three groups: control group (CONT), 8% EML group, and 6.3% SMFP group. Performance, including average daily weight gain (ADG), and dry matter intake (DMI), was measured. Blood and rumen samples were collected at the end of the experiment (16 weeks). There were no differences in final body weight (<i>P</i> = 0.743), ADG (<i>P</i> = 0.425), DMI (<i>P</i> = 0.642), or ADG/DMI (<i>P</i> = 0.236) between the groups. There were no differences (<i>P</i> = 0.2024) in rumen pH values; ammonia N was lower (<i>P</i> = 0.0076) in SMFP than in the EML and CONT groups. There were differences in the concentrations of total and individual volatile fatty acids, while no differences were determined in blood biochemical parameters (i.e., plasma glucose, urea concentrations, triglycerides, total protein, insulin, IgG, alanine transaminase, and aspartate aminotransferase, <i>P</i> ≥ 0.098). No differences were observed in carcass characteristics (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.513), tenderness (<i>P</i> = 0.844), adipose and lean color values (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.149), and chemical composition (<i>P</i> ≥ 0.400); however, intramuscular fat was lower in the EML and SMFP groups compared to the CONT animals (<i>P</i> = 0.034). In conclusion, diets supplemented with these two mulberry products in an isocaloric and isonitrogenous manner have similar effects to corn grain and cotton seed meals on steer performance, blood biochemical parameters and carcass characteristics, with the exception of ruminal VFA concentrations and lower intramuscular fat content.</p></div

WBSF and chemical composition of steak samples of finishing steer fed a total mixed ration supplemented with ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) or sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP).

<p>¹ CONT  =  control; EML  =  ensiled mulberry leaves; SMFP  =  sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace.</p><p>² WBSF  =  Warner-Bratzler shear force values of tenderness.</p><p>^a,b Values in the same row with different superscripts are significantly different (<i>P</i><0.05).</p

Rumen fermentation of finishing steers fed a total mixed ration supplemented with ensiled mulberry leaves (EML) or sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace (SMFP).

<p>¹ CONT  =  control; EML  =  ensiled mulberry leaves; SMFP  =  sun-dried mulberry fruit pomace.</p><p>^a,b Values in the same row with different superscripts are significantly different (<i>P</i><0.05).</p

Effect of dietary treatments on the phyla (as a percentage of the total sequences) of the ruminal bacterial community.

<p>Effect of dietary treatments on the phyla (as a percentage of the total sequences) of the ruminal bacterial community.</p

Effect of dietary treatments on the genera (as a percentage of the total sequences) of the ruminal bacterial community.

<p>Effect of dietary treatments on the genera (as a percentage of the total sequences) of the ruminal bacterial community.</p