INFLUENCE OF OLIVE CAKE LEVEL IN SHEEP RATION WITHOUT OR WITH UREA ON GROWING LAMBS PERFORMANCE

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Animal Production Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Fayoum University, Egypt.

2 Ministry of Higher Education, Egypt.

Abstract

wo feeding trials were conducted using Ossimi ram lambs averaging 22Kg for 150 and 90 days for trials 1 &2, respectively. In each trial, 20 lambs were assigned to form equal groups. In trial one, olive cake levels (0, 15, 20 &25%) were used replacing clover hay forming four dietary treatments. In trial two, differences were only with ensiling olive cake with urea for 21 days. Feed intake, animals' body weight gain and feed conversion were obtained; also, a simple economic evaluation was obtained. Results of trial one showed that :1- Feed intake was insignificant different between the tested groups.2- The inclusion of crude olive cake in the ration up to 25% did not affect lambs body gain significantly.3- Feed conversion showed insignificant differences regarding DM, TDN, SV and DE and significant differences regarding DCP. The DCP/gain (g/Kg), tended to be lower with olive cake containing rations especially that contained 25% olive cake compared to the control ration. 4- The economic evaluation showed that olive cake rations resulted in lower feed cost/kg gain. The 25% olive cake ration reduced feed cost/kg gain by about 13.5%. Results of trial two showed that: 1- Animals performance was not affected significantly by the use of urea-treated olive cake rations compared to the control. 2- Feed intake was not affected significantly as comparing urea-treated olive cake rations with the control. However, with urea-treated olive cake tended to improve as the level of olive cake increased in the ration reflecting the effect of increasing its nitrogen content through ensiling. 3- Feed conversion was not affected significantly regarding DM, TDN, SV and DE/gain. But DCP/gain showed significantly lower values with olive cake rations that ensiled with 4% urea for 21days before feeding. 4- The economic evaluation showed that the cost price/kg gain was nearly similar for all rations with differences, not more than 3%.

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