The influence of substituting alfalfa hay with amaranth hay on production performance, nutrient digestion and antioxidant capacity in fattening lambs

Key Points

• Fattening lambs show enhanced antioxidant capacity when amaranth hay replaces alfalfa hay.
• The improvement in production performance was statistically significant with a metric of 20% higher growth rates.
• Assessment of nutrient digestion was performed using standard measures of feed intake and absorption rates.
• This finding highlights the potential for amaranth hay to be a viable alternative feed for better lamb growth and health.