Department of Animal Nutrition, College of Veterinary Science, Tirupati-517 502, India
*Present Address : Faculty of Veterinary Science, A.P. Agricultural University. Rajetidra-nagar, Hyderabad-500 030.
Online published on 20 January, 2012.
Three complete diets made in the ratio of roughage 40 : concentrate 60 were formulated at 8 (CD-I), 12 (CD-2) and 16 (CD-3) per cent protein levels and were evaluated in a 120-d growth-cum-metabolism experiment using Nellore weaner ram lambs (7.87 ± 0.24 kg). The roughage component of the complete diets consisted of 15 per cent cottonseed hull bran and 25 per cent groundnut haulms. The average daily gain was 86,110 and 84 g for the lambs fed CD-I to CD-3, respectively. The DM intake was significantly lower (P < 0.05) in lambs fed CD-2 or CD-3 than those fed CD-I. The feed/gain ratio was significantly lower (P < 0.01) in lambs fed CD-2 or CD-3 than those fed CD-I. The digestibility of DM (P < 0.05) and CP (P < 0.01) were higher in CD-2 and CD-3 than CD-I. The ADF digestibility of CD-I was lower (P < 0,05) than CD-2. The NFE and cellulose digestibilities were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in CD-1 than CD-3, however, the hemi-celluloe digestibility of CD-3 was higher (P < 0.05) than that of CD-I or CD-2, Tbe N retention expressed as g/d was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in lambs fed complete diet containing 12 per cent CP as compared to those fed 8 per cent CP diet. The DCP intake was higher (P < 0.01) in lambs fed CD-2 or CD-3 than those fed CD-I. It was concluded that for Nellore weaner lambs growing at the rate of 110 g/d, minimum protein level was 12 per cent in the complete diets.
