Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Fecal Microbial Population in Limousin Bulls Supplemented with Hydrolyzable Tannins

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects supplementation hydrolyzable tannins (HT) from sweet chestnut wood extract (Castanea sativa Mill.) diet Limousin bulls on growth rate, carcass and meat quality traits, fecal Clostridia strain levels in a 7-month feeding trial. Thirty-two were randomly assigned four treatment groups (CON (without addition HT); TAN 1 (1 g HT kg−1 DM); 2 (1.5 3 DM with nominally lower dose concentrate). Compared CON group, significantly (p < 0.050) increased bull rate during 4–7 months, whereas traits unaffected last three months fattening. Supplementation reduced drip loss = 0.000) compared group. No observed total number strains; however, concentration Clostridiumperfringens 0.004) than that results obtained fattening indicate is justified practice improve performance feed efficiency without adverse quality.