Productive behavior in fed lamb with fresh orange pulp and buffel grass, as fiber sources

Abstract

Twenty Dorper X Pelibuey crossbred lambs (24.5 kg initial live weight 3-4 months old), they were held for the course of 60 days in a metallic barnayrd with individual food and water treys, were used to evaluate the effects of substituting fresh orange pulp (FOP) by buffel grass hay (BGH) in finishing diets on lamb productive performance (daily weight gain, DWG, feed consumption, FC and feed conversion FCV) and on apparent digestibility of dry matter (ADDM). All lambs were maintained in steel cages, fitted with individual feeders and water drinkers during the study. Rations as fed were prepared daily, for each group and each animal, giving each lamb free choice of feed and water, according to their individual body weight. A total of five treatments (T) were used, where the level of FOP was substituted by BGH (FOP:BGH ratio), to offer 40 % of total fiber, as follows, T0 = 40:0, T1 = 30:10, T2 = 20:20, T3 = 10:30, y T4 = 0:40 %. Feed was prepared daily and feed and fresh water were offered daily and ad lib. A quadratic effect (P<0.03) of substituting BGH by FOP was observed on final weight (FW), DWG, FC as offered and on a dry basis and on ADDM. A lineal effect (P<0.001) of FCV as offered and on the DM coefficient, as FOP increased in the ration. Adding FOP in the ration, as a fiber source, improves individual performance and ADDM in lambs fed finishing whole diets.