Enhancing Growth Performance in Meat Sheep through Efficient Bile Acid Nutrition
As sheep production intensifies, the higher proportion of concentrate feed often leads to subacute rumen acidosis, excessive fat deposition, and mycotoxin contamination. These issues reduce feed efficiency and compromise animal health and performance.
To address this, VEGA developed an enhanced nutrition program using BilePro bile acids, proven to improve growth rate, feed conversion efficiency, and profitability while maintaining herd health and performance stability.
Program Design and Implementation
The trial lasted two months and began after the adaptation period. BilePro was incorporated into the feed at a dosage of 360 g per ton of concentrate or 300 g per ton of total mixed ration (TMR). For individual animals, the feeding rate was approximately 0.5 g per day for sheep and 0.4 g per day for goats.
Performance indicators such as feed conversion ratio (FCR) and average daily gain (ADG) were measured before and after supplementation to evaluate the effectiveness of the program.
Performance Outcomes
In field validation, BilePro supplementation resulted in a 5–20% increase in growth rate and a reduction of FCR by 0.1–0.3. The average return on investment reached 1:3.5, showing a clear economic advantage.
In addition, BilePro effectively reduced yellow fat accumulation, stabilized feed intake under mycotoxin challenge, and improved overall appearance and vitality of the animals.
Economic Benefit Analysis
For example, assuming a 0.15 reduction in FCR, each sheep saves approximately USD 2.54 in feed cost. With a five-month feeding period and a daily BilePro dosage of 0.5 g, the additive cost is around USD 0.72, resulting in a net profit of USD 1.82 per head.
For a farm with 1,000 sheep, this translates into an additional profit of about USD 1,820, making BilePro a practical and profitable nutritional investment.
Mechanism of Action
BilePro has an 85% rumen bypass rate and acts as a natural emulsifier to enhance fat digestion and absorption in the intestine. It activates lipase and improves energy metabolism, preventing fatty liver and excessive fat deposition. This directly leads to faster growth and improved feed efficiency.
BilePro helps maintain a stable rumen environment, reducing subacute acidosis and supporting beneficial microbial fermentation. This results in better nutrient availability and more efficient feed utilization.
As a natural hepatoprotective agent, BilePro supports liver detoxification, enhances antioxidant capacity, and mitigates damage from mycotoxins such as aflatoxin. This ensures consistent growth and feed intake even under toxin stress.
Industry Implication and Conclusion
Facing fluctuating feed costs and variable raw material quality, producers are seeking reliable solutions to optimize performance. BilePro provides a sustainable and scientifically proven approach to improve fat utilization, rumen health, and liver function.
Its triple action ensures better growth, improved efficiency, and reduced risk — making it an essential innovation for modern ruminant production systems.
