Utilization of Pulses Straw in Complete Pelleted Feeds for Growing Lambs

A 120 days trial was conducted to see the effect of replacing conventional method of feeding with complete pelleted diets based on non conventional straws on the performance of lambs. Munjal male lambs (20,90±6 days, 15.12 ±.237 Kg) divided into 4 equal groups were fed control diet C having concentrate to gram straw ratio as 85:15, GBP (pellets having gram straw 60, mustard cake 12, deoiled rice bran 10, and barley 5%), SBP(pellets having soyabean straw 60, mustard cake 8, deoiled rice bran 9 and barley 10%) and BGBP(pellets having urad/black gram straw 60, mustard cake 5, deoiled rice bran 9 and barley 13%). Diets GBP, SBP and BGBP were isonitrogenous mid each having 10% molasses, 1.5% mineral mixture and 1.0% salt. Total dry matter intake was lower (P<0.05) in lambs fed SBP diet compared to C, GBP and BGBP. The intake of nitrogen in GBP and BGBP groups was higher (P<0.05) than that in C and SBP groups. The digestibility of all nutrients was lower (P<0.05) in GBP and SBP diets as compared to C diet. The nitrogen retention was higher (P<0.05) in group C compared to other groups, in SBP it was higher (P<0.05) than that in GBP and BGBP groups. The DCP (g/d) and TDN (g/d) intakes were lower in experimental groups as compared to C group. The average daily weight gain (g) per animal followed the same trend. Urad straw based complete pelleted feed gives better performance than other straws in growing lambs.