Effect of Urea- treated Groundnut Hulls and Molasses on the performance and Carcass Characteristics of Hammari Desert Sheep Lambs

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding ureatreated groundnut hulls (silage) and molasses on the performance and carcass characteristics of Hammari desert sheep lambs, at Elnuhood Desert Sheep Research Station, North Kordofan State, to meet the feed shortage during summer. The duration of the experiment was ninety days. Sixty desert sheep lambs (thirty males + thirty females) of 6 months age and 23.4 kg average live weights were divided into three equal groups (A, B and D). Groundnut hulls treated with 5 % urea was ensiled for 30 days. The lambs were fed a ration containing 77% silage and 23% molasses. Group A offered 400gm silage and 120 gm molasses per day, group B offered 200 gm silage and 60 gm molasses per day and group C (the control) was left to graze the natural pasture freely. Live weight gain and linear body measurements were recorded. Slaughter weight, carcass characteristics, chemical compositions and meat quality attributes were determined. The results revealed that the total body weight gain was significantly (P<0.001) different among the groups; group A showed the highest total weight gain (2.29 kg) and group C (0.46 kg) the least one; however males (1.75kg) recorded the higher value than females (1.07 kg) .The body measurements were not significantly different among treated groups, but were significantly (P<0.01) higher in males. Lambs fed with supplemented ration had the greater values for slaughter weight (26.25 and 23.69kg), subcutaneous fat thickness (0.34 and 0.28 mm), eye muscle area (9.2 and 8.9 cm2) and dressing out percentage (41.7 and 41.4%) than the control group (22.25kg, 0.20 mm, 8.0 cm2 and 41.0 %). Commercial wholesale cuts and non carcass component weights were not significantly (P>0.05) different among treatment groups but between Please purchase PDFcamp Printer on http://www.verypdf.com/ to remove this watermark. XIII sexes were significantly (P<0.05) different. Chemical compositions of meat showed no significant differences among treatment groups except for ash percentage which was significantly (P<0.05) higher in group C (0.99%) and B (0.98%) than group A (0.85%). Males had significantly (P<0.01) higher eye muscle area, water holding capacity, moisture and protein percentage however females had significantly (P<0.01) higher subcutaneous fat thickness and fat percentage. No significant differences were shown in meat sensory panel characteristics among the groups and between sexes. The study concluded to that urea-treated groundnut hulls (silage) and molasses were excellent feeding supplement for desert sheep lambs during summer