2025-06-01 SMALL RUMINANT RESEARCH 2025 247(卷), null(期), (null页)
This study aimed to evaluate the morphometric parameters of the ruminal papillae, and intestinal villi of lambs fed diets containing Mimosa tenuiflora (Willd.) hay replacing Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) hay. Twenty-eight Santa In & ecirc;s male lambs with initial body weight of 20.3 +/- 1.49 kg were used, being distributed in a completely randomized design with four experimental treatments (0, 333, 670, and 1000 g/kg of Mimosa tenuiflora hay). The width of the ruminal papillae was not affected (P > 0.05), while their area decreased linearly (P = 0.01) as the level of M. tenuiflora hay increased. In the duodenum, the height (P < 0.0001) and surface area (P = 0.01) of the villi decreased linearly with increasing M. tenuiflora level, while the width (P = 0.0001) and area (P = 0.03) decreased quadratically, reaching minimum estimated values of 132.95 and 50,625.53