Regulation of the growth performance and the gastrointestinal microbiota community by the addition of defective pear fermentation to feed of small-tailed Han sheep

To enhance the preservation and utilization of defective pear resources in animal husbandry, defective pear fermentation was added into the diet of small-tailed Han sheep in this study. This study aimed to evaluate the benefits of including fermented defective pear in the diet of small-tailed Han sheep to improve their growth, and to assess its impact on their intestinal flora using 16S rRNA analysis. The findings may establish the viability of fermented defective pear as a novel feed additive, offering insights into probiotic usage in meat sheep diets and potentially improving meat sheep productivity.