1. MUHAMMAD ARIF - Department of Livestock Production and Management, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, PMASArid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
2. MUHAMMAD FAROOQ IQBAL - Department of Livestock Production and Management, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, PMASArid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
3. TANVEER AHMAD - Department of Livestock Production and Management, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, PMASArid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
4. KASHIF ISHAQ - Department of Livestock Production and Management, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, PMASArid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan.
The effectiveness of different types of TMR with three protein levels on growth performance and carcass traits in male Lohi sheep was determined. Eighteen male Lohi sheep were selected for 90-days feeding trial and the estimated age of each individual was 120 ±15 days. Initial body weights of these individuals were 15.00 ± 0.13 (kg). These individuals were randomized into six replications using a 2 × 3 factors factorial arrangement. Maize silage and maize hay were used in total mixed rations formulations as wet (W) and dry (D) total mixed rations (TMR), respectively. Three protein levels viz., Low crude protein (LCP), normal (control) crude protein (NCP) and high crude protein (HCP) were used for making different dietary treatments. Six dietary treatments WTMR: LCP, WTMR: NCP, WTMR: HCP, DTMR: LCP, DTMR: NCP and DTMR: LCP and HCP were used in the current experiment. Data for growth performance parameters, carcass characteristics, meat quality and blood parameters of male Lohi sheep fed on different treatments were recorded. Individuals fed on wet TMR had shown overall the best performance (P<0.05) as compared with the individuals fed on dry TMR. Highest body weight was observed in treatment WTMR: HCP (33.20 Kg) followed by lambs fed on WTMR: NCP (31.90 Kg) and WTMR: LCP (28.70 Kg; P<0.04). The best performance of average daily gain (ADG) was estimated around 200 g/day, which was observed in individuals fed WTMR: HCP (P<0.02). An interaction effect for dry matter intake (DMI) was also noted in lambs fed dry and wet TMR (P<0.04). Highest DMI (831.1 g/day) was found in lambs fed wet TMR: HCP. An interaction effect for meat crude protein chemical composition, acetic acid, propionic acid and butyric acid were also reported for lambs fed on wet TMR: HCP. It was concluded that inclusion of high crude protein in wet TMR had significantly improved growth performance parameters, fermentation characteristics and carcass traits in male Lohi sheep. Therefore, it is recommended that farmers may use high crude protein with wet TMR for better growth performance of small ruminants.
Total Mixed Ration, Acetic Acid, Propionic Acid, Dry Matter Intake, Growth Performance And Carcass Traits.