China Animal Husbandry & Veterinary Medicine ›› 2025, Vol. 52 ›› Issue (10): 4697-4708.doi: 10.16431/j.cnki.1671-7236.2025.10.015

• Nutrition and Feed • Previous Articles    

Effects of Dietary Ammonium Chloride Addition Levels on Hepatic Histomorphology and Metabolome of Tibetan Sheep

MA Qingling1,2, BAO Gaoliang2, WANG Zhiyou2, GUI Linsheng2, HOU Shengzhen1, YANG Chao1   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Plateau Ecology and Agriculture, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China;
    2. College of Agriculture and Animal Husbandry, Qinghai University, Xining 810016, China
  • Received:2025-02-10 Published:2025-09-30

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Abstract: 【Objective】 This study aimed to investigate the effects of different dietary ammonium chloride levels on the hepatic histomorphology and metabolism of Tibetan sheep,and expected to provide a scientific basis for determining the optimal dietary ammonium chloride level for Tibetan sheep.【Method】 A total of 80 healthy,2-month-old weaned female Tibetan lambs with similar body weight (16.22 kg±1.01 kg) were selected and randomly assigned to four groups (20 lambs per group),with dietary ammonium chloride levels set at 0 (CON group),1.49% (NH1 group),2.24% (NH2 group),and 3.01% (NH3 group),respectively.The experiment lasted for 105 days,including a 15-day preliminary period and a 90-day formal period.After the trial,five lambs were randomly selected from each group for slaughter.Hepatic lobules were collected for histomorphological observation.The remaining hepatic samples were stored for subsequent metabolomics analysis.【Result】 ①The histomorphological results indicated that the hepatic cells in the CON and NH1 groups exhibited normal structure,radiating from the central vein,well-arranged,with large,round nuclei centrally located,and regular,closely-packed hepatic sinusoids.In contrast,in the NH2 and NH3 groups,inflammatory cells infiltrated the portal areas,and the hepatic sinusoids and hepatic cords were irregularly arranged and indistinct.②There were 308 differential metabolites between the CON group and the NH1,NH2 and NH3 groups,which were significantly enriched in purine metabolism,β-alanine metabolism,and the interconversion of pentoses and glucuronates (P＜0.05).When the dietary ammonium chloride level was 1.49%,the differential metabolites were significantly enriched in purine metabolism and other metabolic pathways (P＜0.05).When the dietary ammonium chloride level was 2.24%,the differential metabolites were significantly enriched in the biosynthesis of secondary bile acids and other metabolic pathways (P＜0.05).When the dietary ammonium chloride level was 3.01%,the differential metabolites were significantly enriched in the pathways of microbial metabolism in diverse environments (P＜0.05).【Conclusion】 Under the conditions of this experiment，dietary ammonium chloride primarily affected nucleotide metabolism,glucose metabolism,and lipid metabolism in the hepatic of Tibetan sheep.Notably,when the dietary ammonium chloride level exceeds 2.24%,it could trigger an inflammatory response in the hepatic of Tibetan sheep,which might adversely impact the normal physiological functions of the hepatic.

Key words: ammonium chloride; Tibetan sheep; hepatic histomorphology; metabolomics

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