Energy Utilization for Maintenance and Gain in Yearling Rams Fed Complete Feed

Eleven energy balance studies were undertaken using fourteen Bikaneri (Magra) yearling rams following comparative slaughter technique. The rams were fed a complete feed for a period of 69 to 86 days. Regression of log heat production and energy (ME) intake gave the fasting heat production (FHP) and the maintenance energy requirements of yearling rams as 310.3 kJ/W^0.75 kg and 452.0 kJ ME/W^0.75 kg, respectively; whereas the maintenance energy requirements obtained by partitioning the metabolizable energy intake for maintenance, wool production and body weight gain was 412.4 kJ ME/W^0.75 kg. The energy requirement for body weight gain was 667 kJ NE/g gain/W^0.75kg, The complete feed contained 6.59 kJ NE_m and 0.06 kJ NE_g/gDM.