On-Farm Performance of Sheep and Goats Under Intensive Rearing

Qn-farm studies were undertaken at three centres In Telangana region of Andbra Pradesh to test the meat prodiction potential of native kids and lambs (12 at each centre) in a 180-day growth trial by feeding cotton seed hulls as sole roughage source along with low-cost concentrate supplement, containing 30% caged layer droppings under Intensive system or rearing. The ADG, feed/kg gain and feed cost/kg gain were 53.6 g, 13.9 kg and Rs. 17.5 in lambs and 37.1g, 14.7 kg and Rs. 20.6 in kids, irrespective of the centre. Dressing percentage on empty body weight basis was 55.6 in iambs and 52.5 in kids which was higher at 25 kg than at 22 or 18 kg live weight in both Iambs and kids. The carcasses were leaner as indicated by wider bone: meat ratio at 22 kg live weight. The yield of non edible organs, in comparison to edible organs, was more in kids. Ad lib. cotton seed hulls along with 30% caged layer droppings containing concentrate supplement can sustain optimum growth in iambs and kids without adversely affecting meat quality accompained by better performance of lambs than kids under on-farm intensive feeding conditions.