Abstract
This study was planned to evaluate the effects of different dietary levels of concentrate and roughage supplementation on feed
intake, growth performance and nutrient digestibility in Thalli lambs. Twenty-one male lambs, weighing an average of 16.15
± 2.33 kg, were allotted to three treatments in such a way that each treatment had seven lambs. Experimental lambs were
arranged in a randomized complete block design and blocking was done on the basis of initial body weight. Lambs were
confined in individual cages and stall-fed experimental diets twice daily. One week was given as adaptation period to
experimental diets. The duration of trial was 12 weeks. Experimental treatments were: T1 = 100% hay; T2 = 80% hay + 20%
concentrate and T3 = 60% hay + 40% concentrate. Growth performance parameters were analyzed by ANOVA using GLM
procedure of Minitab and mean values were compared using Tukey’s test. Results indicated that body weight gain and daily
dry matter intake increased linearly (P<0.05) with an increase in concentrate percentage from 0 to 40% in the rations. Similarly,
feed conversion ratio was significant among the treatments (P<0.05). Lambs fed hay supplemented with concentrate @ 20%
had better feed conversion ratio as compared to other treatments. Experimental treatments had no effect (P˃0.05) on feed
intake, water intake and body condition score. The digestibility of dry matter and acid detergent fiber were increased as the
level of concentrate was increased in the diet (P<0.05) whereas crude protein, crude fiber and neutral detergent fiber
digestibility were not affected by the treatments (P˃0.05). Based on the findings of the current study it is concluded that
increasing concentrate ratio @ 40% in the diet of lambs containing Lucerne hay as forage source increased body weight gain,
daily dry matter intake, dry matter and acid detergent fiber digestibility. However, concentrate ratio @ 20% in the diet of lambs
showed better feed conversion ratio in Thalli lambs.
Keywords: Forage, concentrate, performance, digestibility
Muhammad Farhan Ayaz Chishti1, Muhammad Aziz ur Rahma. (2022) Effect of different dietary levels of concentrate and roughage for optimum growth performance in Thalli lambs, Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, Volume 59, Issue 3.
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