Bhatt Randhir Singh, Soren Nira Manik, Sahoo Artabandhu, Karim Shaikh Abdul
Division of Animal Nutrition, Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Malpura, Rajasthan, India.
Trop Anim Health Prod. 2013 Jan;45(1):167-76. doi: 10.1007/s11250-012-0188-z. Epub 2012 May 29.
Improvement in body condition was assessed in 40 cull ewes (>6 years), equally distributed in two groups and realimented with ad libitum roughage (gram straw) and two levels of concentrate feeding, i.e., 2.5 % (T(1)) of live weight (LW) and ad libitum (T(2)). Five representative animals from an initial 45 were slaughtered at the initiation of the study (0 day) and five animals from each treatment at 44, 67, and 90 days of experiment for carcass attributes. Improvement in body condition score (BCS), nutrient utilization, feed efficiency, and carcass traits were assessed at 44, 67, and 90 days. Metabolism trial of 6-day collection of feed, feces, and urine samples was conducted on five representative ewes from each group after 60 days of feeding. The level of concentrate feeding on LW gain and BCS was significant, and the duration of realimentation showed a linear improvement (P < 0.001). The digestibility and intake of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein was higher (P < 0.05) in T(2). The N intake, absorption, and balance showed a similar trend. Increase (P < 0.05) in total N, trichloroacetic acid precipitable N, and ammonia N was observed with extension of realimentation period. Blood metabolic profile also showed improvement (P < 0.05) from an undernourished state to normal after alimentation. Animals in T(2) accumulated higher LW with minimal expenditure of metabolizable energy (73.4 vs 79.1 MJ) and higher efficiency of feed conversion during 68 to 90 days of realimentation. Linear improvement (P < 0.01) in carcass traits (preslaughter weight, empty live weight, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, and amount of subcutaneous and intramuscular fat) and composition of longissimus dorsi muscle was observed. Ad lib concentrate supplementation for a period of 90 days may thus be considered appropriate for achieving desired efficiency of gain and improvement in body condition of cull ewes for quality mutton production.
对40只淘汰母羊（年龄>6岁）的体况改善情况进行了评估，这些母羊平均分为两组，自由采食粗饲料（谷草），并给予两种水平的精饲料，即活体重（LW）的2.5%（T(1)）和自由采食（T(2)）。在研究开始时（第0天），从最初的45只羊中挑选5只代表性羊只进行屠宰，并在实验的第44、67和90天从每个处理组中挑选5只羊只进行屠宰，以评估胴体特性。在第44、67和90天评估体况评分（BCS）、营养物质利用率、饲料效率和胴体性状的改善情况。在喂养60天后，对每组的5只代表性母羊进行为期6天的饲料、粪便和尿液样本采集的代谢试验。精饲料喂养水平对LW增加和BCS有显著影响，再喂养持续时间呈线性改善（P<0.001）。T(2)组干物质、有机物和粗蛋白的消化率和摄入量更高（P<0.05）。氮摄入量、吸收量和平衡情况呈现相似趋势。随着再喂养期延长，总氮、三氯乙酸可沉淀氮和氨氮增加（P<0.05）。血液代谢指标也显示，喂养后从营养不良状态改善到正常状态（P<0.05）。在再喂养第68至90天期间，T(2)组的羊只以最低的代谢能消耗（73.4对79.1兆焦）积累了更高的LW，且饲料转化率更高。胴体性状（宰前体重、空腹活体重、热胴体重、屠宰率以及皮下和肌内脂肪量）和背最长肌组成呈线性改善（P<0.01）。因此，为了实现理想的增重效率和改善淘汰母羊的体况以生产优质羊肉，可考虑进行为期90天的自由采食精饲料补充。
