Effect of dietary supplementation with dry and raw white button mushroom (Agaricus bisporus) on biochemical blood parameters of Lika pramenka lambs

The objective of this study was to examine whether the intake of the dry and raw fruiting bodies of white button mushrooms influence biochemical blood parameters in lambs of the Lika Pramenka sheep breed. This study was performed on 42 clinically healthy, three- month-old lambs (21 females and 21 males), randomly divided into three groups comprised of 14 lambs each (seven males and seven females). The group I was a control, in which lambs were fed on a standard diet. The group II was fed for six weeks on commercial lamb feed supplemented with 1.5% Agaricus bisporus powder (ABP), and the group III was fed on a commercial lamb feed supplemented with 15% of raw Agaricus bisporus (ABR). Supplementation within both treatment groups significantly reduced blood glucose concentrations (p < 0.0001) in both sexes compared to the control and baseline. When the blood glucose level between supplemented groups was compared, there was a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) lower level in group ABP than in ABR. Total cholesterol concentrations showed the same trend. Group ABP had a statistically significant (p < 0.0001) lower total cholesterol concentration compared with the baseline and the control and ABR groups. It was concluded that feed supplemented with Agaricus bisporus mushroom had a lowering effect on the blood glucose and total cholesterol concentrations in lambs.