Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of diets containing silages of forages that are adapted to the semi-arid environment on the characteristics of the carcass and of non-carcass components of 32 mixed-breed lambs at approximately six months old, with an average live weight of 17.61 ± 2.63 kg. Lambs were assigned to four treatments (diets containing silages of Atriplex nummularia Lind, Cenchrus ciliaris , Gliricidia sepium and Manihot sp.) in a completely randomized design with eight replicates. Animals fed the diet containing old man saltbush showed higher values for the intakes of dry matter (1.080 g/day), crude protein (190 g/day) and total digestible nutrients (740 g/day), body condition score (2.81 points), fatness (2.87 points), carcass conformation (3.19 points), live weight (29.1 kg), empty bodyweight (23.41 kg), weights of the commercial cuts neck, shoulder and ribs (0.46, 0.82 and 1.12 kg, respectively), and skin weight (1.972 kg). No differences were found between the diets for carcass dressing percentage, external and internal carcass lengths, leg length and circumference, rump circumference and width, chest width and depth, full bodyweight, empty bodyweight, cooling losses, pH before and after cooling, loin, and leg. Silages of old man saltbush, buffelgrass, gliricidia and pornunca are recommended for inclusion in lamb diets. Diets with old man saltbush silage provide the best results for characteristics of the carcass and of non-carcass components besides weight gain, which can reach up to 200 g/day depending on the formulation. Keywords: Carcass composition, feedlot, saltbush, sheep
Highlights
Several plant species with forage potential are found in the caatinga biome of Brazil, but these do not meet the nutritional requirements of animals owing to fluctuations in the quantity and quality of the forage (Souto et al, 2005)
Lambs fed the diet with old man saltbush silage had an average total dry matter (DM) intake of 1080 g/day, which was higher than those obtained with the other diets, whose results were 860 g/day for the diet with Gliricidia silage and 990 g/day)
Means followed by different superscripts in the same row differ according to Tukey's test at 5% P-value: significant at the 5% probability level SEM: standard error of the mean; NDF corrected for ash and protein (NDFap): neutral detergent fibre corrected for ash and proteins; NFC: non-fibrous carbohydrates; TDN: total digestible nutrients
Summary
Several plant species with forage potential are found in the caatinga biome of Brazil, but these do not meet the nutritional requirements of animals owing to fluctuations in the quantity and quality of the forage (Souto et al, 2005). Alternative forage plants that are able to produce in semi-arid conditions should be evaluated to address animal deficiencies. Traditional forages such as corn (Zea mays) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) are frequently used in many regions of Brazil. Sci. vol 49 are found in abundance For this reason, and because of their productive and nutritional features, the influence of these crops in the form of silage on meat-related aspects of sheep production should be investigated
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