Table 3. Growth performance and carcass traits of hair lambs supplemented with ferulic acid or zilpaterol hydrochloride
| Items | Treatments1) | SEM | p-value |
| Control | FA300 | FA600 | ZH |
| Initial body weight (kg) | 23.55 | 24.80 | 23.77 | 23.98 | 1.74 | 0.751 |
| Final body weight (kg) | 30.27a | 32.56b | 32.54b | 31.94ab | 0.56 | 0.049 |
| Average daily gain (kg) | 0.195a | 0.265b | 0.265b | 0.257ab | 0.01 | 0.032 |
| Feed intake (kg DM d−1) | 0.98 | 1.07 | 1.13 | 1.13 | 0.06 | 0.265 |
| Feed conversion (kg DM) | 5.05 | 4.07 | 4.27 | 4.38 | 0.41 | 0.382 |
| Hot carcass weight (kg) | 15.02 | 15.53 | 15.45 | 15.31 | 0.34 | 0.711 |
| Hot carcass dressing (%) | 48.24 | 48.01 | 47.61 | 48.54 | 0.72 | 0.839 |
| LT area (cm2) | 14.40a | 14.40a | 13.68a | 16.18b | 0.42 | 0.031 |
| Fat thickness (mm) | 1.80 | 2.78 | 2.03 | 2.85 | 0.44 | 0.342 |
| pH 45 min | 6.48 | 6.44 | 6.38 | 6.39 | 0.06 | 0.272 |
| pH 24 h | 5.59 | 5.58 | 5.71 | 5.59 | 0.03 | 0.444 |
Temperature-humidity index (THI): THI ≤ 74, Te = 20.68 ± 2.17°C, RH = 42 ± 9.58%, THI = 65.72 ± 2.55 units.
Basal diet without additive (Control); basal diet plus 300 mg of FA d−1 (FA300); basal diet plus 600 mg of FA d−1 (FA600); basal diet plus zilpaterol hydrochloride at 6 mg d−1 (ZH). n = 8.
Means with different superscripts in same row, indicate significant differences (p < 0.05).
FA, ferulic acid; ZH, zilpaterol hydrochloride; DM, dry matter; LT, Longissimus thoracis; RH, relative humidity.