Effect of Dietary Incorporation of Sorghum Straw on Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Sudanese Desert Lambs (Shuguor Ecotype)

Abstract

Twenty-seven entire lambs of Sudan desert sheep Shuguor ecotype 5.6 months of age and their average body weight (23.40kg) were used to evaluate the effect of dietary incorporation of different level of Sorghum Straw (SS) in a fattening experiment which extended for sixty days. Experimental animals were fed iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous diets containing 0% (control), 20% and 30% SS for A, B and C treatments respectively. The lambs randomly divided into three groups A, B and C each group content 9 animals, then each group was randomly sub divided into three groups of three animals each (replicates) with similar average body weight (23.40 kg). lamb’s feedlot performance and carcass characteristics data were statistically analyzed by analyses of variance applicable to completely randomized designs (CRD). The study showed no significant differences (P>0.05) among the different experimental groups for initial body weight (IBW), daily feed intake (DFI) and daily feed intake as % of live body weight, shoulder, loin, breast fat and connective tissues as percentage of hot carcass weight while the study observed high significant differences (P<0.01) among the different experimental groups for hot carcass weight(HCW), dressing percentage on live body weight(D%LBW) , dressing percentage on empty body weight (D%EBW), leges , muscles and bone as percentage of hot carcass weight. It was concluded that the addition of SS up to 30% lead to satisfactory feedlot performance and carcass yield. Due to results the study recommended to use ration incorporated 20% SS for fattening desert lambs.