Sainfoin in the Dams’ Diet as a Source of Proanthocyanidins: Effect on the Growth, Carcass and Meat Quality of Their Suckling Lambs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Several studies point out that the use of local forage legumes, such as sainfoin, can be appropriate for feeding sheep autochthonous breeds, with additional benefits also for the soil. Besides, sainfoin has a medium content of proanthocyanidins (PAC), also known as condensed tannins, the effects of which have been studied in fattening lambs but seldom on suckling lambs. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of PAC of sainfoin fed to dams on the productive traits, weight of the digestive organs, and on carcass and meat quality of their suckling lambs. The inclusion of PAC from sainfoin in the dam diet did not produce detrimental changes on the growth and carcass and meat characteristics of their suckling lambs. Therefore, sainfoin can be fed to ewes during lactation to produce suckling lambs, achieving good performances and meat quality. ABSTRACT: Sainfoin (Onobrychis viciifolia) is a forage legume with a medium content of proanthocyanidins (PAC), which may affect animal performance and product quality. The objective of the present study was to assess the effect of PAC from sainfoin fed to dams, using polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a blocking agent, on the performance and carcass and meat quality of their suckling male lambs. After lambing, twenty lactating dams were fed fresh sainfoin ad libitum plus 200 g per day of barley; ten were orally dosed with water (Sainfoin), and ten were dosed orally with a water dilution of 100 g PEG (Sainfoin + PEG). Their lambs (4.1 ± 0.64 kg at birth) suckled ad libitum until they reached the target slaughter weight of 10–12 kg. The presence of PAC in the dams’ diet did not affect the growth, blood metabolites and carcass weight and fatness of the suckling lambs but decreased the lightness of caudal fat (p < 0.05) and increased the weight of the digestive compartments (p < 0.05). Regarding the meat characteristics, PAC only decreased polyphenols content (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the presence of PAC in the dams’ diet had not significant effects on the performance and product quality of their suckling lambs.