Replacement of Groundnut Cake with Mustard and Solvent Extracted Sunflower Cakes on Growth and Digestibility of Nutrients in Lambs

Twenty-four growing lambs of about 19kg body weights were divided into six groups of four each. They were fed weighed quantity of experimental concentrate mixtures containing groundnut cake as protein source (T₁), was replaced by mustard cake at 50 per cent level (T₂) while 12.5, 25, 37.5 and 50 percent of both mustard cake and GNC cake was replaced by extracted sunflower cake in T₃, T₄, T₅ and T₆, respectively on protein basis and gram straw was fed ad lib for 100 days. The differences in DMI, DMI per 100 kg body weight, DMI per kg metabolic body size and intake of TDN remained similar among the treatments but DCP intake was significantly higher T and T₂, similar in T₃, T₄ and T₅ and lowest in T₆ group. Similar trend was observed in nitrogen retention values. The DM, OM and CF digestibility remained similar while digestibility of CP, EE and NFE were significantly (p<0.05) different among the treatments. The digestibility coefficients of NDF, cellulose and hemicellulose were similar but the value of ADF was significantly (p<0.05) lower in T₅ and T₆. The daily gain (g/d) and feed required per kg gain were non-significant within the groups. However, there was reduction in daily feeding cost (Rs. 4.80 vs 4.46, 4.46, 4.37, 4.35 and 4.52), cost/kg gain except in T₅ (Rs. 43.96 vs 41.56,42.95,42.45,49.04 and 43.81) and daily cost of feeding concentrates (Rs. 3.12 vs 2.93,2.87,2.87,2.85 and 2.80) in experimental groups as compared to control. It may be inferred that groundnut cake be replaced at 50% level with mustard cake (T₂) and GNC and mustard cake with extracted sunflower cake without affecting the feed intake and body weight gain.