Abstract

Gracilaria parvispora, a red seaweed belonging to the Rhodophyta phylum, represents a particularly interesting option for ruminant nutrition. The inclusion of seaweed in ruminant diets presents a promising strategy for enhancing animal health and productivity by providing essential nutrients and minerals. This study aimed to characterize the chemical composition and mineral profile of brown (n = 8) and red (n = 3) seaweed species harvested from the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh, and to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with Gracilaria parvispora on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and health status in lambs. Eighteen lambs were assigned to three dietary treatments: control (0 g/kg dry matter [DM]), low (21 g/kg DM; 7 g/lamb/day or 2% of DM intake), and high (42 g/kg DM; 14 g/lamb/day or 4% of DM intake) inclusion levels of G. parvispora. Results indicated that all seaweeds are nutrient-rich, particularly in CP (88.3-122 g kg-1 DM), Ca (0.06-0.084 g kg-1 DM), Zn (76.1-164 ppm), and Fe (135-216 ppm). Lambs' DM and CP digestibility increased (4.1%) (p

Key words: Seaweeds, Gracilaria parvispora, Nutrition, Rumen degradability, Weight gain