{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,25]],"date-time":"2026-09-25T00:21:48Z","timestamp":1790295708702,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":84,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"5","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1777507200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Veterinary Sciences"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Nowadays, it is central to generate innovations that convert agricultural by-products and food waste into valuable animal products while promoting the long-term resilience and sustainability of vulnerable animal production systems. Nutraceuticals (i.e., \u2018nutrition + pharmaceutical\u2019) are derived from foods that offer health benefits. In animal production, nutraceutical supplementation with Withania somnifera and Lepidium meyenii has shown positive effects on the endocrine, cardiopulmonary, and central nervous systems. We aimed to evaluate the possible impact of nutraceutical supplementation on rams fed a diet based on surplus feed from a highly industrialized Holstein cow production system, on corporal (live weight [LW], kg; body condition score [BCS], units), metabolic (blood glucose [GLU], mg dL\u22121; serum protein [PRO], g 100 mL\u22121), and sexual\u2013testicular variables [sexual odor (ODOR, units); scrotal circumference (SC, cm); testicular volumes (TVOL, cm3); and estimated daily sperm production (EDSP, millions)]. Black Belly rams (n = 12; LW = 70.36 \u00b1 1.2 kg; BCS = 2.96 \u00b1 0.03 units; age = 3.8 \u00b1 0.2 years; 25\u00b0 N) were divided into 3 experimental groups: (1) WITH, supplemented with Withania somnifera (400 mg kg\u22121 LW d\u22121); (2) LEPI, supplemented with Lepidium meyenii (400 mg kg\u22121 LW d\u22121); and (3) CONT, not supplemented. The variables LW, BCS, GLU, PRO, and SC, as well as some components of TVOL, did not differ (p &gt; 0.05) among the main effects of treatment or time; only ODOR, right transverse testicular diameter, and total testicular volume differed among treatments, generally favoring the WITH group. Furthermore, the TRT \u00d7 T interaction demonstrated superior performance (p &lt; 0.05) in the WITH group, with the largest values for LW, GLU, PRO, ODOR, SC, width of the right testicle, volume of the right testicle, total testicular volume, and EDSP. From a productive\u2013reproductive perspective, the Robin Hood Effect\u2014through the use of rejected dairy cattle rations as the base diet for rams\u2014and supplemented with nutraceuticals (WITH and LEPI), emerges as a viable alternative to improve not only the productive\u2013reproductive performance of Black Belly rams, but also other productive and socioeconomic outcomes; the latter contributing to the strengthening of producer and family well-being.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/vetsci13050440","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]],"date-time":"2026-04-30T08:46:26Z","timestamp":1777538786000},"page":"440","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Nutraceutical Supplementation + Holstein Feed Surplus in Rams: Corporal, Metabolic, and Testicular Volumetry-Sperm Variables; The Robin Hood Effect"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"13","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-5491-0662","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"\u00c1ngeles","family":"De Santiago-Miramontes","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Laguna Unit, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Andr\u00e9s J.","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-S\u00e1nchez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Laguna Unit, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-0289-2009","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"C\u00e9sar A.","family":"Meza-Herrera","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Natural Resources and Environment in Arid Lands, Regional Universitary Unit on Arid Lands, Chapingo Autonomous University, Bermejillo 35230, Durango, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-6947-2247","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ulises","family":"Mac\u00edas-Cruz","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Autonomous University of Baja California, Mexicali 21705, Baja California, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1139-6883","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Karla Q.","family":"Ram\u00edrez-Uranga","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Laguna Unit, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico"},{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Natural Resources and Environment in Arid Lands, Regional Universitary Unit on Arid Lands, Chapingo Autonomous University, Bermejillo 35230, Durango, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-7867-2745","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Cayetano","family":"Navarrete-Molina","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Laguna Unit, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-7117-5110","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Pablo","family":"Arenas-B\u00e1ez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Natural Resources and Environment in Arid Lands, Regional Universitary Unit on Arid Lands, Chapingo Autonomous University, Bermejillo 35230, Durango, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0642-9241","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mayela","family":"Rodr\u00edguez-Gonz\u00e1lez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Division of Health, Biological and Environmental Sciences, Open and Distance University of Mexico, Ciudad de Mexico 03330, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0936-1692","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Mar\u00eda A.","family":"Sari\u00f1ana-Navarrete","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Chemical and Environmental Technology, Technological University of Rodeo, Rodeo 35760, Durango, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1799-0306","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Edgar","family":"D\u00edaz-Rojas","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Graduate Program\u2014Agricultural and Livestock Sciences, Laguna Unit, Antonio Narro Agrarian Autonomous University, Torreon 27054, Coahuila, Mexico"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,4,30]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1","DOI":"10.5534\/wjmh.2014.32.1.1","article-title":"Effect of Oxidative Stress on Male Reproduction","volume":"32","author":"Agarwal","year":"2014","journal-title":"World J. 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