The Indian Journal of Small Ruminants

Newly born male lambs of Malpura breed were divided into two groups to examine the effect of two feeding (extensive and intensive) regimen on growth, testicular development and attainment of puberty. Lambs in Group 1 were reared under the routine management of grazing (extensive feeding) while lambs in Group 2 had additional access to their mother at mid-day on each day up to weaning and were provided green fodder leaves and concentrate mixture ad libitum (intensive feeding). The parameters studied were body weights at birth, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months of age; testicular measurements i.e. circumference, length, breadth and volume at 6, 9 and 12 months of age; age at puberty and six monthly greasy fleece yield. Feeding of growing ram lambs had significant (P<0.01) effect on growth, puberty and testicular development. The gain in the body weight of lambs in Group 2 was significantly (P<0.01) higher at 3, 6 and 9 month of age as compared to lambs of Group 1. All the ram lambs under intensive feeding ejaculated semen in the artificial vagina at the mean age of 218.75±11.44 days, however, only two (33.3%) ram lambs in extensive feeding management donated semen within one year of age. The first six monthly greasy fleece yield of lambs was relatively higher under intensive feeding than under extensive feeding. Intensive feeding of lambs enhanced the testicular development as evident by the increase in length, breadth, circumference and volume at 6, 9 and 12 months of age. The results indicate that intensive feeding management of growing ram lambs enhanced their growth and testicular development, and reduced the age of puberty.