Growth performance of weaner lambs offered maize stover supplemented with varying levels of maize and cottonseed meals

Abstract

The effect of supplementing maize stover (MS) with 0, 15 and 30 g/kg metabolic weight per day each of maize meal (MM) and cottonseed meal (CSM) on growth performance in Dorper lambs was evaluated in a randomised complete block design with a 3×3 factorial arrangement of treatments. There were no significant ( P>0.05) interaction effects between MM and CSM. There was no significant ( P>0.05) effect of CSM on MS intake but MM significantly ( P<0.05) depressed MS intake. Both CSM and MM significantly ( P<0.001) improved total intakes. Live weight gain was increased ( P<0.001) on both CSM and MM but the relative effect of CSM was almost double that of MM. Unsupplemented animals lost both live and carcass weight while those supplemented gained. Carcass weight change was improved by CSM ( P<0.001) and MM ( P<0.01). CSM improved ( P<0.01) eye muscle area while MM had no effect ( P>0.05) whereas MM increased fat ( P<0.05) with CSM showing no effect ( P>0.05). MM promoted higher subcutaneous fat accretion compared to CSM. These results suggest that responses to protein supplementation depend, among other factors, on level of energy supplied. Offering a single optimal combination for all situations is therefore an over-simplification of a complex scenario.