Iranian Journal of animal Science

Iranian Journal of animal Science

Effect of feeding a high concentrate diet on fattening performance, rumen fermentation, chewing activity and some of metabolic parameters in Afshari and Lori male lambs

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Azam Mohammadi-Mehr 1
Ebrahim Ghasemi 2
Masood Alikhani 3
1 Former M.Sc. Students, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran
3 Associate Professor, Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Iran
10.22059/ijas.2017.234128.653529
Abstract
This research was conducted to evaluate feedlot performance, carcass characteristics, nutrient digestibility, blood metabolites, chewing activity, and economic return of Afshari and Lori lambs feeding a high concentrate diet. Eight Afshari lambs and 8 Lori lambs (28.4±3.8 kg initial weight, 3-4 months of age) were assigned into a completely randomized design for 104 days and fed a diet consisting of (DM basis) 80% concentrate mixture and 20% forage. Results indicated that feed intake (P=0.01), final body weight (P=0.03) and average daily gain (P=0.03) were greater in Afshari than Lori lambs. However, feed conversion ratio and nutrient digestibility were not different between two groups (P<0.05). Despite higher feed cost in Afshari lambs, income over feed cost were greater for Afshari than for Lori lambs (P<0.05). Weight percentage of fresh carcass dressing, concentrations of blood metabolites, total short chain and individual fatty acids were similar between two groups. Compared to Afshari lambs, Lori lambs showed greater total chewing activity per g of DMI as well as ruminal pH (P<0.05). Despite similar feed efficiency between two breeds, feeding high concentrate diet is recommended to Afshari lambs because of better fattening performance and economic return.
Keywords
Afshari breed
Daily gain
economic return
intensive system
Lori breed
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Iranian Journal of animal Science
Volume 48, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
Summer 2017
Pages 243-250

  • Receive Date 27 May 2017
  • Revise Date 30 July 2017
  • Accept Date 30 July 2017