Assessment of seasonal efficacy of different evaporation retardants in semi-arid tropics

Abstract

Present study was carried out to investigate the effect of concentrate supplementation on growth performance and carcass traits of Nellore Brown ram lambs maintained on grazing with or without supplementation. 750 ramlambs were supplied with concentrate feed @ 1% of its body weight continuously for 120 days (Group II) and in each formers flock 5ram lambswere kept only on grazing which act as control (Group I). Concentrate supplemented group shown significantly (P<0.01) higher growth rates. The average daily gain in supplemental group was96.7g grams compared to 46.8 g in control group. The cost benefit ratio was 1:3.12 between control and supplemental group. In carcass studies, carcass weight (P<0.01), dressing percentage (P<0.05) and edible portion (P<0.01) was significantly improved in supplemental ram lambs. Significant improvements was also observed in wholesale cuts like neck and shoulder (P<0.01), leg (P<0.01), rack and loin (P<0.05) in group II ram lambs. No significant improvement was observed in meat to bone ratio and meat quality of lambs in Group II. Based on the results it is could be concluded that growing lambs maintained on grazing landswith supplementation of concentrate at 1% of their body weight performed better in terms of weight gain carcass characteristics and cost economics.