Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, S.V. Veterinary University, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad500 030 (A.P.) India
1Corresponding author: Y. Ramana Reddy, Tel+91 040 20022188, Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, Shri Venkateshwara Veterinary University, Rajendra Nagar, Hyderabad 500 030 A.P. e-mail: ramanayr19@yahoo.co.in
A complete diet was formulated using water washed and urea ammoniated neem (Azadirachta indica) seed cake and processed either into mash or expander extruded pellets or steam pellets. These diets were evaluated in comparison to conventional diet containing concentrate mixture and chopped sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) straw feeding to 24 Nellore lambs weighing 32.02±0.84 kg during half way of growth trial following a completely randomized design. DMI was significantly (P<0.01) lower in lambs fed complete mash ration compared to those fed control ration, expander extruded and steam pelleted diets. Pelleting significantly increased the digestibility of OM, CF (P<0.05) and CP (P<0.01). Positive N, Ca and P balances were recorded on all diets but N and Ca balances were significantly (P<0.01) higher in pelleted diets in comparison to control and complete mash diet. The DCP and TDN values of the diets were significantly (P<0.01) increased by processing the neem seed cake based complete diets into pellets. Increased trend in intakes of DM, DCP, TDN were observed in pelleted rations than mash and conventional ration. Pelleting of mash either by expander extruder or steam pelleting had similar effect on DMI, nutrient utilization in Nellore lambs.
Neem seed cake, Complete diet, Feed processing, Nutrient utilization, Sheep
