Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs

Twenty lambs (18 ± 0.22 kg initial weight) were blocked by weight and individually assigned into pens to evaluate the effects of barley straw variety on digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics. The following four treatments were tested: (1) a local barley straw (as control), (2...

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Main Authors: Mulugeta Tilahun Keno, Taye Tolemariam, Solomon Demeke, Jane Wamatu, Ashraf Alkhtib, Geert P. J. Janssens
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2021-06-01
Series:Animals
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1773
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author Mulugeta Tilahun Keno
Taye Tolemariam
Solomon Demeke
Jane Wamatu
Ashraf Alkhtib
Geert P. J. Janssens
author_facet Mulugeta Tilahun Keno
Taye Tolemariam
Solomon Demeke
Jane Wamatu
Ashraf Alkhtib
Geert P. J. Janssens
author_sort Mulugeta Tilahun Keno
collection DOAJ
description Twenty lambs (18 ± 0.22 kg initial weight) were blocked by weight and individually assigned into pens to evaluate the effects of barley straw variety on digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics. The following four treatments were tested: (1) a local barley straw (as control), (2) HB1963 (high grain and straw yields), (3) Traveller (high straw yielder), and (4) IBON174/03 (high grain yielder). A concentrate (50:50 wheat bran and noug seed cake) was offered constantly (300 DM g), whereas the straw was offered ad libitum. The digestibility trial lasted 22 days (15 days to adapt to dietary treatments and 7 days for sampling). The growth performance trial lasted 90 days. At the end, all of the lambs were slaughtered, and their carcasses were evaluated. The IBON174/03 variety had a higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) intake of organic matter and crude protein, a higher dry matter and organic matter digestibility than the control, and a faster growth than the control. The feed-to-gain ratio was similar among treatments. The slaughter and empty body weights of lambs in the IBON174/03 group were higher than the control variety (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The present study showed that the feeding value of barley straw can differ substantially between varieties and therefore must be considered in the choice of a barley variety.
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spelling doaj.art-c0636fabdb824020838e0e6257b2a0692023-11-22T00:01:50ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-06-01116177310.3390/ani11061773Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening LambsMulugeta Tilahun Keno0Taye Tolemariam1Solomon Demeke2Jane Wamatu3Ashraf Alkhtib4Geert P. J. Janssens5College of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378 Jimma, EthiopiaCollege of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378 Jimma, EthiopiaCollege of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Jimma University, P.O. Box 378 Jimma, EthiopiaInternational Centre for Agricultural Research in Dry Areas, P.O. Box 5689 Addis Ababa, EthiopiaSchool of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences, Brackenhurst Campus, Nottingham Trent University, Southwell NG25 0QF, Nottinghamshire, UKDepartment of Nutrition, Genetics, and Ethology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Heidestraat 19, 9820 Merelbeke, BelgiumTwenty lambs (18 ± 0.22 kg initial weight) were blocked by weight and individually assigned into pens to evaluate the effects of barley straw variety on digestibility, growth performance and carcass characteristics. The following four treatments were tested: (1) a local barley straw (as control), (2) HB1963 (high grain and straw yields), (3) Traveller (high straw yielder), and (4) IBON174/03 (high grain yielder). A concentrate (50:50 wheat bran and noug seed cake) was offered constantly (300 DM g), whereas the straw was offered ad libitum. The digestibility trial lasted 22 days (15 days to adapt to dietary treatments and 7 days for sampling). The growth performance trial lasted 90 days. At the end, all of the lambs were slaughtered, and their carcasses were evaluated. The IBON174/03 variety had a higher (<i>p</i> < 0.05) intake of organic matter and crude protein, a higher dry matter and organic matter digestibility than the control, and a faster growth than the control. The feed-to-gain ratio was similar among treatments. The slaughter and empty body weights of lambs in the IBON174/03 group were higher than the control variety (<i>p</i> < 0.05). The present study showed that the feeding value of barley straw can differ substantially between varieties and therefore must be considered in the choice of a barley variety.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1773crop residuevarietyfattening performancefoodfeed
spellingShingle Mulugeta Tilahun Keno
Taye Tolemariam
Solomon Demeke
Jane Wamatu
Ashraf Alkhtib
Geert P. J. Janssens
Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs
Animals
crop residue
variety
fattening performance
food
feed
title Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs
title_full Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs
title_fullStr Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs
title_full_unstemmed Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs
title_short Effect of Barley Variety on Feed Intake, Digestibility, Body Weight Gain and Carcass Characteristics in Fattening Lambs
title_sort effect of barley variety on feed intake digestibility body weight gain and carcass characteristics in fattening lambs
topic crop residue
variety
fattening performance
food
feed
url https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/6/1773
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