Table 2.

The effects of supplementing triterpenoid saponin (TPS) from Camellia sinensis L. or Medicago sativa L. on digestive and blood profiles of ^†Belmont Red Composite [Africander (African Sanga) × Brahman (Bos indicus) × Hereford-Shorthorn (3/4 B. taurus)] and ^⸸Brahman steers, and ^‡Dorper crossbred × thin-tailed Han ewes, ^ϯHu rams, ^ͳHuzhou lambs and ^*Hu male-lambs^a.

Parametersb, c	C. sinensisb, c
	Cattle†					Sheep‡		Sheepϯ			Sheepͳ
TPS mg/kg BW	31.5	44.3	Post-TPS			28.6		83.7			112
TPS:DMI	0.14	0.22	Post-TPS			0.13		0.18			0.30
TVFA	+3	−2	−2			+16		−3			+13
CPP	+99	+190	−5			−16		−42			−41
DMP	+6	+3	−16			+2		−11			−27
Animal species	C. sinensis serum biochemistry
	TPS mg/kg BW	TPS:DMI	CL	K	Na:K	I	GLU	CHO	UM	GGT	ALP	AST
Cattle⸸	22.7	0.11	−1	−12	+12	−23	−15	+5	−29	+5	+5	−5
	44.2	0.21	+1	−11	+12	−21	−15	0	−17	+10	+10	−7
	64.9	0.30	+3	−12	+13	−22	+3	+5	−20	+17	+17	0
	M. sativa plasma profile
			GH	IGF-1	T3	T4	GLU	CHO	UN	TRG	ALT	AST
Sheep*	12.0	0.04	+38	+32	+77	+42	+20	+2	+5	−2	+46	+31
	24.0	0.08	−9	−5	+22	−9	+16	−7	−30	−35	+49	+27
	47.1	0.16	+8	+2	+11	−18	+20	−9	−44	−68	+81	−27
	94.3	0.32	+5	−8	+40	+4	+21	−3	−35	+3	+98	−28

^aPositive and negative percentage data refer to non-TPS supplemented diets in each experiment.

^bCiliate protozoal populations (^†CPP Log × 10⁸/ml rumen fluid,^ͳ CPP a % of total bacterial 16 S rDNA, ^ϯ CCP × 10⁵/ml,^‡CCP × 10⁷/ml), daily methane (CH₄) production (DMP), dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), total volatile fatty acids (TVFA, mmol/L). Serum electrolytes and minerals [mmol/L; chloride (CL), potassium (K), sodium to potassium ratio (Na:K), iron (I, μml/L)]. Metabolites [mml/L; cholesterol (CHO), glucose (GLU)]. Renal function [mmol/L; urea nitrogen (UN)]. Enzimes [IU/L; alkaline phosphatase (ALP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT)]. Plasma hormones [ng/mL; growth hormone (GH), insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1); mmol/L; tri-iodothyronine (T3), and thyroxine (T4)]. Metabolites [mg/dL; urea nitrogen (UN), glucose (GLU); mmol/L; triglyceride (TRG), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST)].

^{c †}= Ramírez-Restrepo et al. (165) in which eight rumen-cannulated steers were progressively supplemented with dissolved tea seed saponin (TSS; 580 mg TPS per g of TSS) mixed in the morning diet during 3 and 4 days. Post-TPS values were recorded 13 days after TPS withdrawal. Individual CH₄ emissions were measured (48 h) in open-circuit respiratory chambers, recording levels of supplementation of 27.0 and 43.5 mg TPS/kg BW, which are equivalent to ratios of 0.13 and 0.23 TTS:DMI, respectively.

^⸸= Ramírez-Restrepo et al. (166) in which after 13.8 mg TPS/kg BW (0.08 TPS:DMI) supplementation during 6 initial days, a gradual increase of intraruminal (four cannulated steers) dissolved TSS supplementation before the morning feeding and mixed in the morning feed (2 non-cannulated steers) was performed during 7, 14, and 16 days, respectively.

^ͳ= Mao et al. (167) in which 32 lambs fed in two equal parts daily. Open-circuit respiratory chamber measurements (48 h) and microbial populations from four lambs after 60 days trial.

^ϯ= Zhou et al. (168) in which 12 rumen-fistulated Hu rams fed once a day. Three rumen-fistulated and re-faunated Hu rams supplemented with 1.8 g of TPS for 3 weeks in the basal diet. Open-circuit respiratory chamber measurements (24 h).

^*= Liu et al. (108) in which TPS-supplemented concentrate and roughage diets fed AM and PM to 10 Hu male-lamb groups (n = 5) during 3 months; physiological values in the 60–90-day period.

^‡= Liu et al. (108) in which 18 primiparous and six rumen-cannulated Dorper × thin-tailed Han crossbred ewes were used and fed supplemented for nutrient digestibility and CH₄ emissions in open-circuit respiratory systems (Experiment 1, 29 days), and fermentation and microbial ecology examination (Experiment 2, 42 days), respectively.