The dietary effects of ensiled pomegranate by-products (EPB) with different levels of polyethylene glycol (PEG) on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, haematological parameters, carcase traits, and meat quality of fat-tail lambs were investigated in vivo. Thirty-two lambs were allocated to four experimental diets: containing: (1) diet without EPB as control, (2) diet containing EPB (EPB), (3) diet containing EPB with 5% PEG (EPB5%PEG) and (4) diet containing EPB with 10% PEG (EPB10%PEG). The nutrient digestibility, growth performance, internal organs, carcase traits, and chemical composition of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) were unchanged between treatments (p>.05). However, a significant increase in fatty-acid profile of LTL (vaccenic acid, p¼.04; C18:2 cis-9 cis12, p¼.05; rumenic acid, p¼.03; C18:2 trans-10 cis12, p¼.02; alpha-linolenic acid, p¼.01; punicic acid, p¼.03 and total PUFA, p<.0001) was found in EPBfed animals. The highest total antioxidant capacity (p¼.001) and the lowest serum malondialdehyde concentration (p¼.05) were observed in lambs fed EPB. The results indicated that dietary incorporation of EPB without PEG and its partial replacement with grains can improve animal health and meat fatty-acid profile without deleterious effects on growth performance.

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