Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIM: Optimizing mineral supplementation strategies is crucial to enhance growth performance, mineral utilization, and economic efficiency in small ruminant production systems, especially under tropical smallholder conditions where mineral deficiencies often occur. Different forms of mineral supplements may affect intake behavior, bioavailability, and physiological responses. This study examined the comparative effects of three mineral supplement forms, block, capsule, and tablet, on growth performance, mineral intake, and serum mineral status in thin-tailed Indonesian sheep under tropical management conditions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty clinically healthy, thin-tailed Indonesian rams (initial live weight 17.62 ± 3.41 kg; aged 6-8 months) were assigned to a randomized complete block design with four treatments and 10 replicates for a 10-week feeding trial. The treatments included: T0 (control, no mineral supplement), T1 (mineral block), T2 (mineral capsule), and T3 (mineral tablet). All animals received the same basal diet, consisting of cultivated grass (Pennisetum purpureum) offered ad libitum and wheat pollard concentrate at 1.5% of live weight on a dry matter (DM) basis. Growth performance parameters were analyzed using analysis of covariance with initial body weight as a covariate, while mineral intake and serum mineral concentrations were analyzed using one-way analysis of variance followed by Duncan's multiple range test. Blood samples were collected on days 0 and 70 for serum mineral analysis. RESULTS: DM intake did not differ significantly among treatments (p > 0.05). However, mineral supplementation significantly influenced growth performance. Rams receiving mineral blocks (T1) showed the highest average daily gain (71.29 g/head/day), which was 26.6% higher than the control group (56.29 g/head/day) (p < 0.05). Capsule (64.36 g/day) and tablet (65.64 g/day) supplementation produced intermediate responses. Feed gain ratio did not differ among treatments. The highest income over feed cost was recorded in T1 (3,448 IDR/head/day). Mineral supplementation significantly increased calcium and chloride intake compared to the control. Serum potassium and copper concentrations were significantly higher in supplemented groups, whereas calcium, manganese, and zinc levels remained unaffected. CONCLUSION: Mineral supplementation improved growth performance, mineral intake, and economic returns in thin-tailed Indonesian sheep without impacting DM intake. Among the tested delivery methods, mineral block supplementation was the most effective, offering the highest growth rate and an economic advantage while maintaining stable serum mineral levels. These results suggest that mineral block supplementation is a practical and scalable approach for enhancing productivity in tropical smallholder sheep production systems.