Open AccessFEEDLOT PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS TRAITS OF YANKASA RAMS. I — EFFECT OF VARYING THE CONCENTRATE TO ROUGHAGE RATIO
Author(s) -
A. S. Kwatu,
N.N. Umunna,
C. N. Chineme
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nigerian journal of animal production
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0331-2062
DOI - 10.51791/njap.v10i.2714
Subject(s) - feedlot , zoology , dry matter , biology , feed conversion ratio , body weight , endocrinology
Thirty-five Yankasa rams initially weighing 22.5kg on the average were individually fed one of five diets formulated to differ in the roughage to concentrate ratio: 70:30, 60:40, 50:50, 40:60, 30:70. The diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. Average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency showed a linear response to increasing levels of dietary concentrate. Feed intake on the other hand did not reveal any significant difference. Both dry matter and nitrogen digestibility tended to increase with increasing dietary concentrate. Dressing percentage, kidney and mesenteric fats also increased with increasing concentrate level. Given the overall performance and current prices of feedstuffs, rams and mutton, it would seem that 50 to 60% dietary concentrate is optimal for fattening.