Abstract Small ruminants significantly contribute towards livelihood, food and nutrition security for people living in semiarid low-to-middle-income countries. However, their productivity is largely constrained by feed shortages, prevalence of gastrointestinal nematodes (GIN) and postharvest meat losses. The current review explores the possibility of using sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza juncea var. sericea) as a natural helminth suppressant, feed ingredient and meat preservative for improving small ruminant health, meat production and shelf life. Sericea lespedeza has moderate contents of crude protein, fibre, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, and diverse composition of physiologically active substances such as condensed tannins, sterols and flavanols from which it derives nutritional, anti-bloat, helminth suppressant, antimicrobial and antioxidative properties. Overall, the present review demonstrates the potential of feeding sericea lespedeza to small ruminants as a sustainable means of controlling GIN and enhancing meat production and shelf life, while also reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, more research is required to determine optimal feeding strategies and doses for reducing GHG emissions while improving health, meat production and quality of small ruminants.

中文翻译：

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Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza juncea var. sericea) 用于可持续的小型反刍动物生产：饲料、蠕虫抑制剂和肉类保存能力

摘要 小反刍动物为生活在半干旱中低收入国家的人们的生计、粮食和营养安全做出了重大贡献。然而，它们的生产力在很大程度上受到饲料短缺、胃肠道线虫 (GIN) 流行和收获后肉类损失的限制。本综述探讨了使用胡枝子树（Lespedeza juncea var. sericea）作为天然蠕虫抑制剂、饲料成分和肉类防腐剂以改善小反刍动物健康、肉类产量和保质期的可能性。胡枝子含有中等含量的粗蛋白、纤维、矿物质、维生素、氨基酸，以及多种生理活性物质，如缩合单宁、甾醇和黄烷醇，从中可以得到营养、抗胀气、蠕虫抑制剂、抗菌和抗氧化特性。总体而言，本综述证明了将胡枝子树饲喂给小型反刍动物作为控制 GIN 和提高肉类产量和保质期，同时减少温室气体 (GHG) 排放的可持续手段的潜力。然而，需要更多的研究来确定最佳饲养策略和剂量，以减少温室气体排放，同时改善小反刍动物的健康、肉类生产和质量。