Effect of Concentrate Feeding in Lambs

Sheep farming plays a significant role in ensuring livelihood security to the millions of small and marginal farmers. This is one of the most profitable entrepreneurial avenues among different momentum. Based on the observation and conclusion of PRA techniques, KVK scientist planned to organize front line demonstration (FLD) on feeding of concentrate supplementation on the growth performance in lambs. Ten shepherds were identified for conducting FLD. The lambs under demonstration group were provided concentrate mixture consisting of bajra 77 kg, groundnut cake 20 kg, mineral mixture 2 kg and common salt 1 kg and fed @ 1 per cent of the body weight in addition to grazing for 90d while control group lambs were maintained on sole grazing. The feeding trial was conducted for 90d during 2013–14. it was found that supplemented group of lambs achieved significantly higher (P<0.01) body weight gain than the control group. Similarly, the body weight gain (kg) and average daily gain (g) were also higher in demonstration group. It can be concluded that supplementary feeding of concentrate with grazing was beneficial in growing sheep for higher economic returns.