The influences of a blend of plant extracts (PE; broadleaf plantain and peppermint) and monensin (MON) on metabolite status, digestibility and performance of ewes during periparturient period were investigated. Thirty-two estrus-synchronized multiparous Afshari ewes (90 ± 3.1 kg body weight (BW); 3.0 ± 0.15 body condition score (BCS); mean ± standard deviation) were used in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement and assigned to one of four dietary treatments with supplementation of 1) no additive (control, CON-PE), 2) 2 g/d of a commercial blend of PE (CON + PE), 3) 30 mg/d of MON (MON-PE) or 4) combination of 2 g/d of PE along with 30 mg/d of monensin (MON + PE). Ewes were individually fed to diets containing hay at 650 g/kg from −21 d relative to lambing and 600 g/kg until 21 d after lambing. Blood was collected weekly and at +1 day relative to lambing 3 h of morning feeding. The overall dry matter intake (DMI) was increased (P = 0.004) by PE and MON+PE inclusion. Although dietary additives did not influence BCS, BW and subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) in pre- and postpartum, the MON+PE diet tended to increase BCS (P = 0.092), BW (P = 0.076) and SFT (P = 0.077) on d 21 postpartum. Plasma concentration of cholesterol and albumin was not significantly affected by dietary additives, whereas plasma glucose concentration was increased by feeding MON alone or MON+PE (P = 0.002). Apparent digestibility of dry matter and organic matter was similar among the treatments. Production of colostrum (P = 0.002) and milk (P = 0.01) increased when diets were supplemented with MON+PE. The MON-PE diet decreased milk fat content. Addition of PE alone increased milk fat (P = 0.001) and protein (P < 0.001) percentages. In conclusion, feeding PE and (or) MON+PE increased DMI and colostrum, milk and protein yield. Therefore, supplementation of MON+PE may be beneficial for improving production performance in transition ewes.

研究了植物提取物（PE；阔叶车前草和薄荷）和莫能菌素 (MON) 的混合物对围产期母羊的代谢物状态、消化率和性能的影响。32 只发情同步的经产 Afshari 母羊（90 ± 3.1 kg 体重（BW）；3.0 ± 0.15 身体状况评分（BCS）；平均值 ± 标准差）被用于完全随机设计，具有 2 × 2 因子排列和分配到四种膳食处理之一，并补充 1) 无添加剂（对照，CON-PE），2) 2 g/d 商业混合 PE (CON + PE)，3) 30 mg/d MON (MON -PE) 或 4) 2 g/d PE 与 30 mg/d 莫能菌素 (MON + PE) 的组合。母羊单独饲喂含干草的日粮，相对于产羔 -21 天，含干草为 650 g/kg，产羔后 21 天为 600 g/kg。每周和相对于产羔 3 小时早晨喂食 +1 天收集血液。总干物质摄入量（DMI）增加（P = 0.004) 通过 PE 和 MON+PE 包含。尽管饮食添加剂在产前和产后不影响 BCS、BW 和皮下脂肪厚度 (SFT)，但 MON+PE 饮食倾向于增加 BCS ( P = 0.092)、BW ( P = 0.076) 和 SFT ( P = 0.077)产后第 21 天。胆固醇和白蛋白的血浆浓度不受饮食添加剂的显着影响，而单独喂食 MON 或 MON+PE 会增加血浆葡萄糖浓度（P = 0.002）。不同处理间干物质和有机物质的表观消化率相似。初乳 ( P = 0.002) 和牛奶 ( P= 0.01) 当日粮添加 MON+PE 时增加。MON-PE 饮食降低了乳脂含量。单独添加 PE 会增加乳脂 ( P = 0.001) 和蛋白质 ( P < 0.001) 的百分比。总之，饲喂 PE 和（或）MON+PE 增加了 DMI 和初乳、牛奶和蛋白质产量。因此，补充 MON+PE 可能有利于提高过渡母羊的生产性能。