Influence of the nutrition level on fattening and carcass characteristics of Awassi ram lambs

Abstract

e objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of nutrition level on fattening and carcass charac - teristics of Awassi ram lambs in Jordan. irty-six newly weaned Awassi ram lambs of similar weights were randomly allocated to three groups (control group = 12, experimental group I = 12 and experimental group II = 12). Animals were fed 3 diets (nutrition levels) for a period of 61 days. ese experimental diets were isocaloric and isonitrog- enous. e control group received the traditional feed used for fattening Awassi ram lambs in Jordan (barley, soybean and wheat bran). By-products group (experimental group II) received a ration containing tomato pomace, olive pulp and dried poultry litter while the other treatment (experimental group I) received the vitamin supplement Vitamix ® OSZ added to the traditional ration fed in Jordan. Six animals from each group were slaughtered at the end of the experiment for carcass evaluation. e results show that total weight gain (WG) and average daily gain (DWG) of ram lambs during the study were 17.87 ± 0.43 kg and 292 ± 0.01 g in experimental group I, 17.43 ± 0.43 kg and 286 ± 0.01 g in control group and 15.07 ± 0.43 kg and 246 ± 0.01 g in experimental group II, respectively. Dif- ferences between the individual groups as depending on the nutrition level were highly significant ( P ≤ 0.01). e best feed conversion and the lowest cost of 1 kg weight gain 5.19 ± 0.17 and 0.632 ± 0.02 Jordanian Dinar (JD) were achieved in ram lambs of experimental group I, 5.32 ± 0.17 and 0.660 ± 0.02 JD in ram lambs of control group and 6.15 ± 0.17 and 0.738 ± 0.02 JD when compared with feed conversion in ram lambs of experimental group II, the difference between the groups was highly significant ( P ≤ 0.01). e results of the present study document that the concentrate mixture with Vitamix ® OSZ has positive effects on fattening performance of ram lambs. e ram lambs had better feed conversion and lower cost of 1 kg meat gain when the concentrate mixture with Vitamix ® OSZ was used. e results of the study also show that by-products could replace traditional feed in ruminant diets but it need not always be economical. Awassi ram lambs could be fattened to high weights but a considerable amount of fat would be produced.