Source Of Animal Feed Research Articles

Model-based process optimization of black soldier fly egg production.

Black soldier fly (BSF) larvae (Hermetia illucens) serve as a valuable protein source for animal feed. Limiting factors in the industrial rearing of BSF are the reproduction process and egg output. Studies indicate the potential to shorten preoviposition time and increase egg output through better utilization of environmental variables, such as temperature and light, in industrial settings. Excessive stimulation, however, can lead to stress, elevated production costs, and reduced egg numbers, emphasizing the need for a delicate balance. This study addresses these challenges by investigating controlled manipulation of environmental variables to stimulate mating and enhance egg production, thereby developing a comprehensive model encompassing the adult fly life cycle, mating, and egg production. Model parameters were fitted using literature data, and the model's plausibility was tested through simulations. Using the model and optimal control methods, the calculated dynamic trajectories for environmental variables when compared to the standard approach in a constant environment demonstrated higher output and shorter production cycles at reasonable energy costs. Applications for this model-based optimization are demonstrated for various scenarios, highlighting the practical utility and versatility of the developed model. This study contributes valuable insights for improving rearing practices of BSF through environmental stimulation, offering potential advancements in egg production efficiency and overall sustainability.

Assessment of the USDA Biomass Harvest Trap (USDA-BHT) device as an insect harvest and mosquito surveillance tool.

Insects are a promising source of high-quality protein, and the insect farming industry will lead to higher sustainability when it overcomes scaling up, cost effectiveness, and automation. In contrast to insect farming (raising and breeding insects as livestock), wild insect harvesting (collecting agricultural insect pests), may constitute a simple sustainable animal protein supplementation strategy. For wild harvest to be successful sufficient insect biomass needs to be collected while simultaneously avoiding the collection of nontarget insects. We assessed the performance of the USDA Biomass Harvest Trap (USDA-BHT) device to collect flying insect biomass and as a mosquito surveillance tool. The USDA-BHT device was compared to other suction traps commonly used for mosquito surveillance (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) light traps, Encephalitis virus surveillance traps, and Biogents Sentinel traps). The insect biomass harvested in the USDA-BHT was statistically higher than the one harvested in the other traps, however the mosquito collections between traps were not statistically significantly different. The USDA-BHT collected some beneficial insects, although it was observed that their collection was minimized at night. These findings coupled with the fact that sorting time to separate the mosquitoes from the other collected insects was significantly longer for the USDA-BHT, indicate that the use of this device for insect biomass collection conflicts with its use as an efficient mosquito surveillance tool. Nevertheless, the device efficiently collected insect biomass, and thus can be used to generate an alternative protein source for animal feed.

Black Soldier Fly (BSF): A Sustainable Solution for Protein, Waste Management, and a Circular Bio-Economy

The Black Soldier Fly (BSF) is emerging as a game-changer in the animal feed industry and waste management. This article explores the potential of BSF larvae as a sustainable, high-protein feed source for various animals, including fish, poultry, and pigs. It delves into open and closed BSF production systems, highlighting their advantages and considerations. Furthermore, the article details the diverse products derived from BSF, including larvae, oil, and protein meal, showcasing their applications in animal feed formulations. The concept of a BSF circular economy is introduced, emphasizing its potential for fostering resource conservation, ecological stewardship, and cascading environmental benefits. Finally, the article discusses the challenges and opportunities associated with BSF production and integration into the animal feed sector.

Productivity of two species of tree legume as sources forage on post-tin mining in Bangka island

Legume tree One of the crops that may function as a viable source of animal feed and be utilized for land reclamation on former mining sites. Ex-tin mining land, which is widely spread in Indonesia, has the potential to transform to productive agricultural land, as long as the land is given sufficient inputs through land rehabilitation. The legume tree has drought resistance, hence limiting its potential for development on many types of land, including post-tin mining areas in the Bangka Tengah District of Bangka Island. The objective of this research is to assess the adaptation of two legume tree species in post-tin mining environments. The research was completed throughout the period from 2017 to 2020. Experiments using Randomized block design (RBD) with two different species of treatments, were repeated a total of five times. Two species tested were (1) Leucaena leucocephala cv Taramba, and (2) Indigofera zollingeriana. Data growth and yield components are harvested every three months and yield is subjected to analysis using the Duncan test at a significance level of 5 %. The research result indicated that all of the tested two species of legume tree were well-adapted to post-tin mining in Bangka Tengah District, Bangka Island. The fresh yield of L.leucocephala cv Taramba was higher (9.1 %) than I.zollingeriana but the quality was similar, so the two species can be developed on post-tin mining areas as forage material for an animal in Central Bangka District, Bangka Island.

Evaluating the Efficiency of Black Soldier Fly (Hermetia illucens) Larvae in Converting Mackerel Head Waste into Valuable Resources.

The seafood processing industry generates significant waste, including mackerel heads (MH), constituting 20-32% of total waste. This study explored the potential of utilizing MH as a feed source for black soldier fly larvae (BSF larvae). BSF larvae are known for their ability to efficiently convert organic materials into nutrient-rich biomass. Five concentrations of MH (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% in chicken feed) were fed to BSF larvae for eight days. After harvesting, their growth, MH conversion efficiency, nutritional content, and heavy metals reduction potential were measured. BSF larvae showed optimal growth when fed with a feed containing 20% MH, resulting in a 14.36-fold increase in weight compared to the control group, as determined by the Fisher's Least Significant Difference Test. BSF larvae maintained a survival rate of 99.33%. With the lowest feed conversion ratio (FCR) of 2.09 at 20% MH, feed efficiency was improved by up to 65.15%, and feed reduction up to 73.53%. MH enhanced lipid and protein content in BSF larvae. Furthermore, BSF larvae in this study showed higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), as well as other amino acids which are required for breeding animals. The current study highlights the potential of MH as a feed source for BSF larvae, improving nutritional biomass. It also suggests BSF larvae as an eco-friendly option for handling seafood processing waste and as an alternative feed source for animals.

The Vegetation Diversity of the Growth Rate Stand in The PBPH PT. Hutan Mulya Central Kalimantan’s

PT Hutan Mulya is one of the companies engaged in natural forest management, carrying out logging activities that cause changes in the value of species diversity in the remaining stands (LoA). There are 651 individuals of 87 plant species in the LoA area (2016 and 2016) and 63 plant species in virgin forest areas, so there are a total of 32 plant groups. The highest Importance Value Index is found in Meranti Merah (Shorea leprosula Miq) and Suhi (Shorea atrinervosa Symington) in virgin forest areas, while in the LoA area it is dominated by the Jambuan (Syzygium Gaertn) species because it is a source of animal feed and is not produced by companies. The diversity index of tree species, poles, and saplings in virgin forest is high (>3.00), whereas in the LoA area (2016 and 2022), the level of trees is high (>3.00), the level of poles is medium (1.00–3, 00), and the level of saplings for LoA 2022 is low (1.00<). Meanwhile, the virgin forest similarity index and LoA (2016 and 2022) are in the same or medium category, between 0.31 and 1.00.

Influence of Fermented Mulberry Leaves as an Alternative Animal Feed Source on Product Performance and Gut Microbiome in Pigs

Mulberry leaves are rich in nutrients but contain anti-nutrient factors that hinder their digestion and absorption. Feeding animals with mulberry leaves directly could harm their health. The microbial fermentation of mulberry leaves could reduce their anti-nutritional factors’ content and improve their nutritional value. Sequencing and analyzing mulberry leaves before and after fermentation showed that fermentation increased the relative abundance of Pediococcus, Bradyrhizobium, Hydrotalea, and Rhodanobacteria, and decreased that of Enterobacter. Fermentation improved the quality of mulberry leaves by rebuilding the bacterial community. Finishing pigs were raised on fermented mulberry leaves (FML), and their carcass performance, meat quality, economic benefits, and gut microbiome were evaluated. FML had no negative impact on pig carcass performance, meat quality, and antioxidant capacity, and could somewhat improve the economic benefits. FML decreased the relative abundance of Proteobacteria in the colon and Streptococcus in the feces, and increased that of Actinobacteria (cecum, colon, feces) and Prevotella (colon). The gut core microorganisms in the FML group were mainly enriched with Actinobacteria, Bifidobacterium, Bifidobacteriaceae, Bifidobacteriales, and other beneficial microorganisms. Dietary FML reduced ammonia, indole, and skatole contents in the feces. In conclusion, FML reshaped the gut microbiota without negatively affecting pig product performance, produced cleaner waste, and improved environmental protection and sustainability, making it an attractive prospective feed for pigs.

Validation of putative biomarkers of furan exposure through quantitative analysis of furan metabolites in urine of F344 rats exposed to stable isotope labeled furan

Humans are chronically exposed to furan, a potent liver toxicant and carcinogen that occurs in a variety of heat-processed foods. Assessment of human exposure based on the furan content in foods is, however, subject to some uncertainty due to the high volatility of furan. Biomarker monitoring is thus considered an alternative or complementary approach to furan exposure assessment. Previous work suggested that urinary furan metabolites derived from the reaction of cis-2-butene-1,4-dial (BDA), the reactive intermediate of furan, with glutathione (GSH) or amino acids may serve as potential biomarkers of furan exposure. However, some metabolites were also reported to occur in urine of untreated animals, indicating either background contamination via animal feed or endogenous sources, which may limit their suitability as biomarkers of exposure. The overall aim of the present study was to accurately establish the correlation between external dose and concentration of furan metabolites in urine over time and to discriminate against endogenous formation and furan intake via feed. To this end, the furan metabolites GSH-BDA (N-[4-carboxy-4-(3-mercapto-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-1-oxobutyl]-L-cysteinylglycine), NAcLys-BDA (R-2-(acetylamino)-6-(2,5-dihydro-2-oxo-1H-pyrrol-1-yl)-1-hexanoic acid), NAcCys-BDA-NAcLys (N-acetyl-S-[1-[5-(acetylamino)-5-carboxypentyl]-1H-pyrrol-3-yl]-L-cysteine) and NAcCys-BDA-NAcLys sulfoxide (N-acetyl-S-[1-[5-(acetylamino)-5-carboxypentyl]-1H-pyrrol-3-yl]-L-cysteine sulfoxide) were simultaneously analyzed by stable isotope dilution ESI–LC–MS/MS as unlabeled and [13C4]-furan dependent metabolites following oral administration of a single oral dose of isotopically labelled [13C4]-furan (0.1, 1, 10, 100 and 1000 µg/kg bw) to male and female F344/DuCrl rats. Although a linear correlation between urinary excretion of [13C4]-furan-dependent metabolites was observed, analysis of unlabeled NAcLys-BDA, NAcCys-BDA-NAcLys and NAcCys-BDA-NAcLys sulfoxide revealed substantial, fairly constant urinary background levels throughout the course of the study. Analysis of furan in animal feed excluded feed as a source for these background levels. GSH-BDA was identified as the only furan metabolite without background occurrence, suggesting that it may present a specific biomarker to monitor external furan exposure. Studies in humans are now needed to establish if analysis of urinary GSH-BDA may provide reliable exposure estimates.

Studies on the Benefits of Cogon Grass (Imperata cylindrica L) in Indonesia: A Review

Cogon grass (Imperata cylindrica L.) is one of the most invasive weeds in the world which causes many losses in agriculture and plantations. To find added value from cogon grass, in many countries in the world, including Indonesia, various studies have been carried out on the aspects that can be utilized from this grass. In this article, the results of a study of published research articles on cogon grass that have been carried out in Indonesia by Indonesian researchers are presented. The results showed that there were at least 48 research articles on the cogon grass found. There are five benefits of cogon grass were found, namely as a source of allelopathic ingredients for weed control, a source of pharmacological medicinal ingredients, general health maintenance ingredients, a source of animal feed, and a source of energy.

Nutritional response to water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) challenges via blood biochemical profiles in goats and sheep

Eichhornia crassipes remains a significant threat to aquatic ecosystems and poses economic challenges globally. Interestingly, its high nutritional value and abundance in water bodies, making it a promising and cost-effective source of animal feed. The purpose of the study was to see how varying inclusion rates of E. crassipise affected the blood biochemical profiles of Doyogena sheep and Woyto-Guji goat local breeds. Twelve sheep and twelve goats were used in a 2*4 randomized crossover design with two species, four diets, and four phases (15-day adaptation plus 7-day experimental diets), and on the last day blood sample collected. The dietary treatments included E. crassipise (0, 25, 50, and 75%) as a substitute for commercial concentrate. The data were analyzed using SAS software tool PROC GLM, and Pearson's correlation coefficient between serum biochemical indices was computed. Results of AST, ALB, GLB, AST/ALT, and A/G showed significant (P < 0.0001), ALP (P < 0.005), and GLU (P < 0.05) differences between species of animals, except for ALT, CREAT, TP, and UREA. Sheep had higher values for AST, ALP, GLB, AST/ALT, CREAT, and UREA, except for A/G, ALB, ALT, and TP. Among treatments and treatment species interaction effect did not show variation in all studied parameters. Positive correlations were observed between ALT and AST, TP and ALB, and A/G and ALB, negative correlations were observed between ALT and AST/ALT, TP and A/G; GLB and A/G in sheep. Furthermore, positive correlations were observed between AST/ALT with ALT and AST and ALB with TP and A/G; however, negative correlations were observed between ALB with TP and A/G in goats. It was concluded that substituting E. crassipise with concentrate had no adverse effect on the serum biochemical profile.

Mining exotic germplasm for genetic improvement of protein quantity and quality in soybean (Glycine max)

AbstractSoybean meal is the main protein source for animal feed, but it has low content of the essential amino acids cysteine (Cys) and methionine (Met). In this research, an exotic germplasm (PI 399000) was crossed with ‘Woodruff’ to develop an F5‐derived recombinant inbred line (RIL) population for mapping quantitative trait loci for seed composition. The population was grown in six environments, and protein, oil, Cys, and Met were determined with near‐infrared spectroscopy. RILs were genotyped with the SoySNP6K BeadChip, and 1865 SNPs were used for analysis. QTL analysis identified three loci on chromosomes (Chrs) 6, 15 and 17 in at least five environments for protein; two QTLs on Chrs 14 and 17 in all environments for oil; three QTLs on Chrs 3, 6 and 10 for Cys and Met in at least three environments; and two QTLs for seed size on Chrs 17 and 20 in all environments. Stacking of protein and Cys + Met QTLs can increase both traits simultaneously, and 13 breeding lines were identified with improved seed composition. The markers linked to the QTLs can be used to assist the development of cultivars with improved meal quality.

78 Assessing nutrient digestibility in boer×spanish castrated male goats feeding varied levels of hempseed meal

Abstract Hempseed meal (HSM) has gained considerable attention as a potential alternative protein source for animal feed in the US, although its FDA approval for this purpose remains pending due to an insufficiency of comprehensive scientific data. The HSM is a byproduct of hemp oil production. Tuskegee University, a ruminant coalition group in the US is assessing this byproduct in meat goats. The present study was designed to investigate the influence of varying HSM inclusion rates on the nutrient digestibility in Boer×Spanish castrated meat goats using a 4×4 Latin square design. Four uniform mature Boer×Spanish castrated goats (14-16 months) were randomly assigned to four treatments. These goats received ad libitum access to experimental diets containing 0%, 10%, 20%, 30% HSM on an as-fed basis. Experimental diets were iso-nitrogenous (crude protein: 16%) and iso-caloric (total digestible nutrients: 64%). The experiment was conducted for 21 d in four phases where 16 d was for diet adjustment and 5 d for sample collection. Feed, feces, and urine were collected during the sample collection period and composited. The feed intake and refusal, fecal and urine outputs were monitored during the sample collection period. The feed, fecal, and urine samples were analyzed for nutrient composition. Nutrient digestibility data were analyzed in SPSS 29 and Microsoft Excel 2021. Our findings revealed no significant differences (P &amp;gt; 0.05) in the digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, crude fat, non-fibrous carbohydrate, neutral detergent fiber, hemicellulose, and ash among experimental groups, except for acid detergent fiber, where a significant difference (P &amp;lt; 0.05) was observed. These results shed light on the potential of hempseed meal in meat-goat diets and emphasize the importance of understanding its impact on specific nutrient digestibility for optimal dietary formulation.

Enhancing algal production strategies: strain selection, AI-informed cultivation, and mutagenesis

Microalgae are emerging as a sustainable source of bioproducts, including food, animal feed, nutraceuticals, and biofuels. This review emphasizes the need to carefully select suitable species and highlights the importance of strain optimization to enhance the feasibility of developing algae as a sustainable resource for food and biomaterial production. It discusses microalgal bioprospecting methods, different types of cultivation systems, microalgal biomass yields, and cultivation using wastewater. The paper highlights advances in artificial intelligence that can optimize algal productivity and overcome the limitations faced in current microalgal industries. Additionally, the potential of UV mutagenesis combined with high-throughput screening is examined as a strategy for generating improved strains without introducing foreign genetic material. The necessity of a multifaceted optimization approach for enhanced productivity is acknowledged. This review provides an overview of recent developments crucial for the commercial success of microalgal production.

Techno-Economic Analysis of Gas Fermentation for the Production of Single Cell Protein.

Despite the large carbon footprint of livestock production, animal protein consumption has grown over the past several decades, necessitating new approaches to sustainable animal protein production. In this techno-economic analysis, single cell protein (SCP) produced via gas fermentation of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and hydrogen is studied as an animal feed source to replace fishmeal or soybean meal. Using wind-powered water electrolysis to produce hydrogen and oxygen with carbon dioxide captured from corn ethanol, the minimum selling price (MSP) of SCP is determined to be $2070 per metric ton. An emissions comparison between SCP, fishmeal, and soybean meal shows that SCP has a carbon intensity as low as 0.73 kg CO2-equiv/kg protein, while fishmeal and soybean meal have an average carbon intensity of 2.72 kg CO2-equiv/kg protein and 0.85 kg CO2-equiv/kg protein, respectively. Moreover, SCP production would occupy 0.4% of the land per ton of protein produced compared to soybean meal and would disturb less than 0.1% of the marine ecosystem currently disturbed by fishmeal harvesting practices. These results show promise for the future economic viability of SCP as a protein source in animal feed and indicate significant environmental benefits compared to other animal feed protein sources.

Monitoring compositional changes in black soldier fly larvae after processing (drying and blanching) using near infrared spectroscopy

Determining which processing technique is better to guarantee the safety and nutritional value of black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) is of critical importance for the food waste industry. This study evaluates the utilization of near infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy as a proxy technique to monitor the effect of two processing treatments commonly used by the food waste industry, namely blanching and the combination of blanching plus drying, on the composition of BSFL. The 5th instar BSFL samples were harvested from a commercial waste processing facility and subjected to drying (2 and 12 hrs at 100 °C) and blanching (4 s and 5 min) treatments. The samples were scanned using a NIR instrument (11,550 to 3950 cm−1) where the data was analysed using principal component analysis (PCA) and linear discriminant analysis (LDA). A correct classification rate above 83 % was obtained for the identification of samples according to the drying treatment, while 56 % of the samples were correctly classified according to the blanching treatment. Overall, NIR spectroscopy has shown great potential as a rapid tool for real-time monitoring of the processing of BSFL (drying and blanching), and thereby assisting in improving the treatment of BSFL samples intended to be used by the animal feed industry.

NUTRITIONAL CONTENT AND MOCROBIAL PROFILE OF FERMENTED BROILER FARM WASTE FLOUR

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; The nutritional and safe content of pathogenic bacteria in animal feed is something that must be considered ca- refully when looking for alternative feed sources. Potency and laboratory tests to determine the nutritional content and microbial profile must be carried out before being given to livestock. The by-product of the broiler farming bu- siness is broiler farming waste or “LPB”, which has the potential to be a source of animal feed concentrate. The aim of this research is to determine the nutritional content and microbial profile of broiler farm waste so that it can and is safely used as a source of animal feed. The research used field observation methods, proximate testing (to deter- mine the nutritional content of ingredients), followed by comparative methods (comparing the results of proximate testing of ingredients with the nutritional content of commercial concentrates). Research results, proximate anal- ysis of the nutritional content of LPB flour: crude protein: 36.98%, gross energy: 4,422 Kcal/gram. LPB microbial profile was declared negative for Eschericia coli and Salmonella shigella, Coliform &lt; 3.0 CFU/g, mold 200 CFU/g. It can be suggested that the nutritional content and microbial profile of broiler farm waste flour can and is safely used as an alternative feed source.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Potential and utilization of sorghum in dry land as animal feed

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Monch) is a cereal crop that is drought tolerant and can be produced worldwide. Sorghum plants can be developed in Indonesia as animal feed. This is due to agroecological conditions that can tolerate land conditions in Indonesia. This article aims to review the potential and utilization of sorghum as a source of animal feed that can be developed on dry land. The article method uses descriptive by reviewing the results of research on sorghum. Harvest can be done at the age of 85 to 90 days because sorghum has high nutritional value and is a substitute for other feed sources, because it has a high chemical composition, vitamin, mineral, and energy content. The nutritional content of crude protein sorghum is 10,4, fat 1,5 and ash 6,8%. In fresh conditions, the leaves and stems of sorghum do not last long, so it needs processing in the form of silage to extend its shelf life so that it can be used in the dry season. Giving feed derived from leaves, straw, by-products of sorghum shows a positive response in livestock. This study concludes that orgum has the potential to be developed as a source of animal feed because it has a fairly good nutritional content and has the potential to be developed on dry land.

Nutrtional and Phytochemical Characterstics of Fruits and Vegetable Wastes as Livestock Feed: A Case Study in Gamo Zone, Southern Ethiopia.

Fruit and vegetable producers were creating a large amount of waste in homes, cafeterias, and agroprocessing units. The majority of this waste is composted and disposed in landfills and waterways. Recycling these wastes as animal feedstuffs will lessen food-feed competition and minimize environmental hazards. This study was carried out in the Gamo zone of southern Ethiopia, in the heart of the southern rift valley, to ascertain the nutritional profiles of fruit and vegetable by-products in relation to livestock feed potentials. All fruit and vegetable waste (FVW) samples were collected from homes, marketing facilities, restaurants, and waste disposal facilities. Proximate, detergent fiber component, minerals, and antinutritional factors were among the analyses performed on the collected samples. The results showed that, highest CP values recorded from banana leaf, 15.8 ± 0.8 (%DM) followed by avocado peel (14 ± 0.8) among fruit by-products and that of highest values of vegetable components were obtained from Moringa oleifera strip (20.6 ± 1.25) sweet potato (18.5 ± 1.55), respectively. The highest ME (MJ/kg DM) contents obtained from avocado and mango by-products among fruit wastes, while that of highest values recorded for cassava and potato peel (12.2 ± 0.4) and (11.3 ± 0.1) among vegetable components, respectively. The antinutrients included in FVW, namely, tannin, oxalate, and phytate, did not exceed the maximum permissible level for animal needs, which is less than 5% of DM. The macro- and micromineral profiles of these by-products also show encouraging results that contribute to maintaining the mineral needs of farm animals. FVW can be a viable and alternative source of supplemental feed for farm animals that primarily rely on low-quality natural pasture and crop residues, and can partially replace more expensive feedstuffs and their efficient reuse would minimize environmental impacts associated with the disposal of such wastes.

Spatiotemporal distribution of Schizaphis graminum (Rondani) and its natural enemy Coccinella septempunctata (Linnaeus) in graniferous sorghum crops.

At the global level, Sorghum bicolor (L.), is one of the most important crops, which ranks fifth among all cereals. It is cultivated in Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas, where it serves as a source of food and feed for humans and animals, respectively. However, production is constrained by several factors including pests and diseases. Among the pests that are known to attack Sorghum, Schizaphis graminum (Rondani), commonly called the green cereal aphid, is the most destructive pest of sorghum. S. graminum damage to sorghum is worsen by water deficit which favors its occurrence. Limited information on the spatial distribution of the pest and its natural enemies impedes the development of ecologically friendly management strategies. Therefore, the objective of this research was to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of S. graminum and its natural enemy Coccinella septempunctata (L.) during the vegetative and reproductive stage of the crop using geostatistical analysis. The spatiotemporal distribution of S. graminum was influenced by Sorghum development stage, surrounding landscape, and presence of its main predator C. septempunctata. Moreover, the abundance of C. septempunctata was influenced by the density of S. graminum. The findings from this study are required for developing sustainable pest management strategies against S. graminum.

Effects of Introducing Different Levels of Groundnut Hay Treated with Urea and Molasses on Performance of Desert Lambs (Hammari Ecotype)

Non-traditional agricultural by-products are a potentially valuable alternative source of animal feed which may decrease dependence on traditional feed products and decrease overall feeding costs. This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of using groundnut hay in lambs fattening. Groundnut hay was used at three levels (0, 20 and 30%) in three iso-energetic and iso-nitrogenous diets (A, B and C). Twenty seven male lambs of Sudanese Desert sheep (Hamari ecotype) were selected according to their age (4-5months) and average live body weight (20.5Kg) and they were kept in Rural Development and Extension Center (R.D.E.C). The experimental feed includes three different levels of groundnut hay treated with urea and molasses (0, 20 and 30 %). Experimental animals were fed for 60 days included two weeks as adaptation periods. All the data was collected and statistically analyzed by using statistical package for Social Studies (SPSS version 17.0). an A Completely Randomized Design (CRD). One way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncans multiple range were used to test for difference among the treatments means. The study showed a significant differences (P&gt;0.05) among different treatments for average values of final live body weight gain(FLBWG), total live body weight gain(TLBWG), daily live body weight gain(DLBWG), feed conversion rate(FCR), feed conversion rate as % of live body weight gain, cost of one kg feed and cost of one kg live weight per (SG). While initial live body weight (ILBW) and daily feed intake (DFI) showed no significant differences (P&gt;0.05) among different treatments. Treatment A (control) reported the highest and best values of final live body weight, daily weight gain, cost of one kg feed, and cost of one kg live weight followed by treatment B (%20) while treatment C (30%) reported the lowest values so, we recommend to use groundnut hay up to 20% for finishing desert lamb.