Preliminary Investigation of Mixed Orchard Hays on the Meat Quality, Fatty Acid Profile, and Gastrointestinal Microbiota in Goat Kids

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Goat meat constitutes one of the main animal protein sources in the human diet in developing countries. Consumers realize that there are multiple links between diet and happiness. Livestock feeding strategies can increase the concentration of a number of healthy fatty acids. Forages play an important role in maintaining rumen function. This preliminary investigation evaluated the effects of feeding different mixed hays grown in the orchard on meat quality, fatty acids, amino acids, and the gastrointestinal tract microbial ecosystem. The results indicated that goats fed alfalfa + oats mixed hay displayed a more favorable fatty acid profile and microbiota for human health. Feeding higher nutritional value forage is a good strategy for providing high-quality goat meat and is beneficial to the ruminant production system. ABSTRACT: This preliminary investigation was designed to study the effects of different mixed orchard hays on meat quality, fatty acids, amino acids, rumen intestinal microflora, and the relationship between rumen bacteria and fatty acids in the longissimus dorsi muscle of Saanen dairy goats. In this preliminary investigation, goats were separately fed crop straws (corn and wheat straws) and alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) (CK group), alfalfa + oats (Avena sativa L.) (group I), alfalfa + perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) (group II), and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth.) + perennial ryegrass (group III). There were differences in shear force and cooking loss between treatments. The contents of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) C14:0, C16:0, and C18:0 in the CK group were significantly higher than those in other three groups (p < 0.001). The 16S rDNA sequencing results showed that the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in group II were higher than those in other three groups (p < 0.05). Association analysis showed that Prevotella_1 was negatively correlated with C18:0 and significantly positively correlated with C16:1, while Clostridium and Romboutsia showed a positive correlation with monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Therefore, feeding mixed hays can increase beneficial fatty acids and the percentages of associated bacteria in rumen and intestines.