Meat Production Potential and Quality of Sudan Desert Lambs

Abstract

Forty eight male desert lambs comprised of some major Sudan desert sheep ecotypes, Butana Shugor (SH), Dubasi (D), Watish (W) and their crosses were involved in this study. The animals were kept for a pre-experimental period of two weeks during which they were fed on the same experimental diet. During the experiment period they were intensively fed on a high energy diet 11.82 MJ/kg plus groundnut hulls ad. libitum. The overall rates of weight gain were 217, 204 and 216 g/day in purebred lamb groups (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) respectively, while in crossbred lamb groups (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish) were 236, 230 and 241 g/day, respectively and the difference was not significant. The purebred lambs (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) ate 6.2, 6.51, and 6.6 kg of dry matter, respectively to produce one kilogram of live weight gain, while crossbred lambs (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish) ate 6.1, 6.0 and 6.1 kg of dry matter, respectively to produce one kilogram of live weight gain, the difference in feed conversion efficiency was no significant. The crossbred lambs (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi anti Shugor x Watish) took shorter duration 60, 58 and 56 days, respectively to attain the target weight of 40 kg compared with purebred lambs (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) which took 69, 76 and 66 days, respectively to attain the target weight and the difference between the group was not significant. The dressing percentage on empty body weight basis was 55.99, 55.79 and 56.31% in purebred lambs (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish respectively) which was not significantly different from that of crosses. The total muscle percent was 57.9, 55.9 and 55.08 in purebred lambs (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) and 59.14, 59 20 and 56.55% in crossbred lambs (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish), respectively and the difference was not significant. Bone percent in purebred lambs (Shugar, Dubasi and Watish) was 21.99, 21.28 and 19.9%, respectively while in crossbred lambs (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish) was 20.5, 21.00 and 20.75% respectively and the difference was not significant. The total fat percent in purebred (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) was 11.59, 15.71 and 16.3% respectively while in crossbred lambs (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish) was 14.15, 12.84 and 14.38%, respectively and the difference was not significant. The muscle: bone ratio in purebred (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) was 2.64, 2.57 and 2.86, respectively while in crossbred lambs (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish) was 2.88, 3.13 and 2.80%, respectively and the difference was not significant. The muscle: fat ratio in purebred (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish) was 5.07, 3.81 and 3.49%, while the crossbred (Dubasi x Watish, Shugor x Dubasi and Shugor x Watish) scored 5.19, 4.95 and 4.15%, respectively and the difference was not significant. Meat chemical analysis of all experimental groups showed that lower moisture percentage 71.4% was scored by group III (Watish) and higher moisture percentage 74.1 was scored by group II (Dubasi) and group V (Shugor x Dubasi) and the difference was not significant. Higher fat percentage (3.78) in both purebred and crossbred was scored by group III (Watish) while lower fat percentage (2.44) was scored by group II (Dubasi) and the difference was not significant. Group III (Watish) also scored higher protein percentage (23.03) while lower protein percentage (21.52) was scored by group VI (Shugor x Watish) and the difference was not significant. Water holding capacity values were greater in group II (Dubasi) 1.57, while a lower water holding capacity of 1.06 was scored be group IV (Dubasi x Watish) and the difference was also not significant. Lambs can be produced in Sudan from pure lines (Shugor, Dubasi and Watish). However, crossbreeding between these three ecotypes can result in better lamb production regarding rate and efficiency of gain. Watish ecotype produced the higher percentage of carcass fat and the least percentage of muscle: fat ratio.