Haro, AndrésGonzalez, JavierEvan, Trinidad deFuente Vázquez, Jesús De LaCarro, María Dolores2023-06-172023-06-172019-07-042076-261510.3390/ani9070415https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/12502The objective of this study was to analyze the efficacy of a treatment (MAH) of sunflower seed (SS) and meal (SM) with a malic acid solution (1 M; 400 mL/kg) and heating (150 ◦C, 2 h) to protect protein against rumen degradation and to improve the growth of lambs. Two homogeneous groups of 12 Lacaune lambs each (14.2 ± 0.35 kg body weight) were fed either a concentrate including untreated SS and SM or a concentrate with MAH-treated SS and SM. Lambs were fed concentrate and barley straw ad libitum for 40 days (about 26 kg body weight); feed intake and growth of lambs were recorded; blood samples were taken on days 0, 20, and the slaughter day for analysis of urea-N and amino acid-N; diet digestibility was determined; and ruminal and cecal samples were collected after slaughter. The in vitro incubation of both concentrates with sheep ruminal fluid for 12 h showed that the MAH-treatment tended to reduce NH3-N concentrations and increased propionate production. However, there were no differences (p > 0.05) between groups in any of the tested variables in the in vivo trial.engAtribución 3.0 Españajournal articlehttps://doi.org/10.3390/ani9070415https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/9/7/415open accessprotein protectionmalic acidheatin vitro rumen fermentationsunflower seed and mealgrowing lambsGanado ovinoNutrición y cuidado de los animales3109.06 Nutrición