Influence of age at entry and level of concentrate feeding on growth and carcass characteristics of feedlot-finished Tanzanian long-fat-tailed sheep
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Date
2014-03-22
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Springer
Abstract
A 4×3 factorial experiment was carried out to
evaluate the effects of age at entry to feedlot (AEF) and levels
of concentrate feeding (LCF) on body weight gain, feed
utilization and killing out characteristics of Tanzanian long-
fat-tailed castrate sheep. The AEF points were 9, 12, 15 and
18 months, designated as AEF9, AEF12, AEF15 and AEF18,
and the LCF were 50, 75 and 100 % of ad libitum concentrate
intake designated as LCF50, LCF75 and LCF100, the last
representing ad libitum concentrate intake with 10 % refusal
rate. Grass hay as basal diet was offered ad libitum to each
sheep. Daily feed intake and weekly live weight were record-
ed for a period of 84 days. Animals were slaughtered and
carcass and non-carcass parameters were recorded. Dry matter
intake (DMI) of hay decreased while DMI of concentrate
increased (p<0.01) with increasing LCF. Daily gain in high
level (LCF100) was 93.1 g/day, almost twofold higher than
that in low level (LCF50) of feeding (39 g/day). Overall
dressing percentage ranged from 40.7 to 46.5 % and increased
with increasing AEF. The proportion of carcass bone de-
creased (p<0.05) with increasing AEF while that of fat in-
creased (p<0.05) with increasing LCF. Age at entry × level of
concentrate feeding interaction was detected for DMI, feedconversion ratio (FCR), slaughter body weight (SBW),
muscle/bone ratio and bone (as % cold carcass weight
(CCW)), but the effect was not regular. Entering fattening at
18th month seems too late, hence to get in the shortest time the
highest output slaughter and carcass weights, fattening should
start latest at 15 month.
Description
Journal Article
Keywords
Concentrate, Feedlot, Growth, Slaughter characteristics, Long-fat-tailed sheep