The dry season in tropical regions urges livestock to feed on nutritionally very poor diets. It has not been explored how tropical sheep—assumed grazers—and tropical goats—intermediate browsers—cope with a high-fibre tannin-rich diet. This study was designed to determine the effects of a high-fibre and tannin-rich diet on the flow of important microminerals iron (Fe), zinc (Zn) and copper (Cu) throughout the digestive tract of tropical sheep and goats. The feeding trial was set up with twelve adult male animals, six sheep with mean body weight (BW) of 30.3 ± 1.6 kg and six goats with mean BW of 26.4 ± 2.2 kg. The feed consisted of 36% leaves of Millettia ferruginea, 61% hay and 3% concentrate and was offered at 3% of BW (all on dry matter (DM) basis). The total faecal collection was carried out for 7 consecutive days. At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered to collect liver and digesta samples from the gastrointestinal tract. Feed, digesta and faecal samples underwent analysis of Fe, Zn, and Cu and total tannins (TT). Goats had significantly higher reticulum Cu concentrations expressed on DM as compared to sheep. Faecal Cu concentrations were higher for goats compared to sheep. Reticulum and colon digesta Zn levels were higher in goats than sheep. Abomasum and colon Fe levels were higher in sheep than goats when expressed on DM. These results suggest differences in feed intake, micromineral absorption, secretion and excretion between sheep and goats, pointing to a divergent mineral metabolism as an adaptation to the challenge of a dry season diet having very low nutritive value.

中文翻译：

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喂食高纤维单宁饮食的热带山羊和绵羊的整个消化道中的铜、铁、锌和单宁浓度

热带地区的旱季促使牲畜以营养非常差的饮食为食。尚未探索热带绵羊（假定为食草动物）和热带山羊（中等浏览者）如何应对富含单宁的高纤维饮食。本研究旨在确定高纤维和富含单宁的饮食对热带绵羊和山羊消化道中重要微量矿物质铁 (Fe)、锌 (Zn) 和铜 (Cu) 流动的影响。饲养试验设置有 12 只成年雄性动物、6 只平均体重 (BW) 为 30.3 ± 1.6 kg 的绵羊和 6 只平均体重为 26.4 ± 2.2 kg 的山羊。饲料由 36% 的Millettia ferruginea叶子组成, 61% 干草和 3% 浓缩物，以 BW 的 3% 提供（均以干物质 (DM) 为基础）。连续7天进行总粪便收集。在实验期结束时，将动物屠宰以从胃肠道收集肝脏和食糜样品。饲料、食糜和粪便样品进行了铁、锌、铜和总单宁 (TT) 的分析。与绵羊相比，山羊在 DM 上表达的网状铜浓度明显更高。山羊的粪便铜浓度高于绵羊。山羊的网状和结肠食糜锌水平高于绵羊。当用 DM 表达时，绵羊的皱胃和结肠 Fe 水平高于山羊。这些结果表明绵羊和山羊在采食量、微量矿物质吸收、分泌和排泄方面存在差异，