Carcass and Non-carcass Yield Characteristics of Horro Sheep Supplemented with Two Lablab purpureus Cultivars and Concentrate Mixture to a Basal Diet of Natural grass hay

Abstract

The study was carried out using twenty five male yearling Horro sheep with average body weight (BW) of 18.5 + 1.99 kg (Mean + SD) to determine the supplementary value of Beresa-55 and Gebisa-17 Lablab purpureus cultivars and concentrate mixture to a basal diets of natural pasture hay on carcass and non-carcass yield characteristics. All lambs were stratified in to five groups according to their initial body weight in randomized complete block design and were assigned to the dietary treatments randomly. Experimental lambs had free access to a basal diet (natural grass hay) but, supplemental feeds were restricted considering 1.5 and 2% of their body weight in dry matter (DM) basis which is adjusted following regular weight measurements. Thus, the treatments were; ad-lib natural grass hay + concentrate mixture at 2% BW (T1), ad-lib natural grass hay + Gebisa-17 cultivar at 1.5% BW (T2), ad-lib natural grass hay + Gebisa-17 cultivar at 2% BW (T3), ad-lib natural grass hay + Beresa-55 cultivar at 1.5% BW (T4) and ad-lib natural grass hay + Beresa-55 cultivar at 2% BW (T5). All carcass parameters and most of the non carcass parameters were significantly affected by dietary treatments. Lambs fed diets T1 and T5 had performed better in most of the parameters measured such as SW, EBW, HCW, fore and Hind quarter. However, lambs in T2, T3 and T4 had intermediate value in these parameters. In general, lambs fed T1 and T5 enhanced comparable carcass and non carcass yield than in the other treatments. However, Supplementation with conventional feed resources (grains, cereals etc.) for animal production is scarce and highly expensive in many parts of the world. Hence, the use of forage legumes as alternative feed resources for ruminant livestock is becoming increasingly important in many parts of the tropics and sub-tropics because of its availability, abundance and relatively reduced cost. Therefore, it can be recommended that, T5 (ad-lib grass hay+Beresa-55 cultivars at 2% BW) can be used as a priority supplement in feeding of local sheep.

Keywords: Horro sheep, dressing percentage, hot carcass weight, Lablab purpureus