Nutritive Value of Faba Bean (Vicia Faba L.) As a Protein Supplement for Growing Lambs

Eighteen heterogenous crossbred Iambs of both sexes were randomly divided into 3 groups of 6 each and raised on Saba bean (Vicin faba L) having treatments T₁ (Control), T₂ (25% replacement of CP of T₁ by faba bean) and T₃ (Complete replacement of concentrate mixture by faba bean), respectively for one year. Daily weight gain and feed: gain were 46.4, 58.9 and 67.8g and 16.58,13.80 and 12.36, respectively for the respective treatments. Daily weight gain was significantly higher in T than in T₁ without affecting feed requirement for 100 g weight gain. However, lambs required 2.4 times more feed at later period of growth to attain 100g body weight gain. The digestibility of proximate nutrients and nutritive value of faba bean based ration (T₂) were comparable with the control ration (T₁). However the values of these parameters were higher (P<0.05) in T₃ than in T₁. There was no adverse effect on the overall diizestibility of proximate nutrients as wall as intake of dry matter by inclusion of faba bean in the ration. It is concluded that concentrate mixture could be replaced completely with faba bean in the ration of growing lambs.