The Carcass and Non-Carcass Parameters of Local Sheep Supplemented With Concentrate Mixture, Atella, Faidherbia albida leaf and Sesbania sesban leaf

Abstract

The experiment was conducted to determine the supplemental value of concentrate mixture of 75% wheat bran and 25% Sesame seed cake (T₁), Atella (T₂), Faidherbia albida leaf (T₃) and Sesbania sesban leaf (T₄) on carcass and non-carcass parameters using twenty four yearling intact local male sheep with mean initial body weight (IBW) of 18 ±1.55 kg (mean ± SD). Randomized complete block design was used for the experiment and sheep were blocked into six based on IBW. Sheep within block were randomly assigned to treatments. The experiment was conducted for 90 days (feeding trial) after 15 days acclimatization period. The amount of supplements offered were 300 (T₁), 330 (T₂), 360 (T₃) and 280 (T₄) g/day on DM basis, each calculated to supply 73.6 g/day crude protein (CP). The carcass and non-carcass parameters were evaluated at the end of the experiment. Hot carcass weight ranged from 9.75 kg to 11 kg. Most carcass parameters (slaughter weight, empty body weight, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, rib-eye muscle area, fore-leg, hind-leg, ribs with muscle, sternum and neck) followed similar trends like average daily gain (ADG), in which these parameters were higher in T₁ and lower in T₃; however T₁ and T₃ were similar with T₂ and T₄.

Key Words: dressing percentage, edible offals, hot carcass weight, local sheep, non-edible offals, slaughter weight,