Abstract
Forty eight lambs (24 each of Malpura and Mutton synthetic breeds) were weaned at 90 days of age and divided into two groups. One group of 12 lambs from each of the two breeds was maintained on low energy (52% TDN) and the other group of 12 on high energy (58% TDN) feedlot ration until 6 of the lambs attained 20 kg and the other 6 attained 25 kg live weight in each of the two groups. Daily feed intake and weekly body weights were recorded. Conventional metabolism trials were conducted on the two breeds and the two rations. The growth rate was found to be higher for lambs on high energy ration (p<0.01). The growth rate was also higher for higher target weight groups (p<0.01). The breed did not significantly affect the live weight gains. Mutton synthetic lambs required less number of days to reach 20 kg live weights but took more time to reach 25 kg target weight as compared to Malpura lambs (p<0.01). The lambs of both the breeds reached 25 kg live weight earlier on high energy than those on low energy ration (p<0.01). The dry matter intake, irrespective of breed, was significantly higher (4.57% or 93.4 g per kgW 0.75 ) on low energy than that on high energy ration (4.20% or 87.2 g per kg W 0.75 ). The digestibility coefficients of all the nutrients excepting crude fibre were significantly higher on high energy diet irrespective of the breed. Lambs on low energy ration, however, digested the crude fibre more than those on the high energy ration (p<0.05). Although there were no significant differences in the intakes of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus, the balance of nitrogen was higher on high energy ration. The DCP and TDN values were 9.70 and 52.76% for low energy and 9.89 and 57.68 % for high energy ration, respectively. The dressing percentages on live weight basis were 50.2 on low and 51.6 on high energy ration, 50.5 at 20kg and 51.3 at 25 kg slaughter weight and 51.0 in Malpura and 50.8 in Mutton synthetic lambs, respectively. The percent of bones in the carcass was higher on low energy ration in Mutton synthetic lambs at 20 kg slaughter weight than others. It was concluded that the performance of the lambs in respect of mutton production was significantly better on high energy ration fed upto 25 kg slaughter weight with no or little breed differences. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 5 : 655-659)
Highlights
It was concluded that the performance of the lambs in respect of mutton production was significantly better on high energy ration fed upto 25 kg slaughter weight with no or little breed differences
Feeding of crossbred lambs ad lib. on very high energy feedlot rations to obtain faster and higher slaughter weights resulted in undesirable higher fat deposition in the carcass ( Karim and Santra, 2000) The present study was, conducted to study the production performance and carcass characteristic of native (Malpura) and crossbred
Total gain and average daily gains of Malpura and Mutton synthetic lambs were higher on R2 than R1, among breeds differences were non-significant, but for target weights (20 kg and 25 kg), the gain was higher (p
Summary
Breeds and feeding the lambs on feedlot rations intensively (Prasad et al, 1981; Singh, 1982; Sehgal and Rawat, 1983; Singh and Singh, 1987 and Karim et al, 2002). On very high energy feedlot rations to obtain faster and higher slaughter weights resulted in undesirable higher fat deposition in the carcass ( Karim and Santra, 2000) The present study was, conducted to study the production performance and carcass characteristic of native (Malpura) and crossbred The sheep meat available in the Indian market comes either from old and culled adults or from male lambs maintained on scrub vegetation under extensive system and slaughtered at any time between 9 months to one year of age. The meat quality and quantity are poor due to poor market weight, lower dressing percentage and narrow meat: bone ratio (Singh and Patnayak, 1987; Kaushish et al, 1990 and Karim, 2000)
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