Digestibility of nutrients of male dorper sheep weaned at different ages

Shanmugavelu Sithambaram, . and Norhayati Zaini, . and Wan Zahari Mohamed, . Digestibility of nutrients of male dorper sheep weaned at different ages. pp. 1-9. ISSN 1394-3227

The nutrient digestibility is an important aspect to measure the feed efficiency of feed given to the animals. Therefore this study was conducted to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of male Dorper sheep at different weaning ages. A total of 27 new-born Dorper lambs (average body weight 3.060.74 kg) were randomly divided into three equal (n9) experimental groups namely Group 1 Group 2 and Group 3 weaned at day 30 60 and 90 respectively. Creep feed (ME 12 MJ/kg and CP 18) and grower feeds (ME 10 MJ/kg and CP 14) were fed at 3.5 of their mean body weight before and after weaning respectively. Digestibility trials for Group 1 2 and 3 were conducted 10 d before the animals reached 30 60 and 90 d of age respectively. The digestibility trial was repeated at 10 d before the animal reached the age of 270 d. Three animals were selected from each group for digestibility trial and the animals were individually housed in metabolism cage. There was no significant (P0.05) difference in digestibility of DM CP CF EE and NFE among the treatment groups at pre-weaning and post-weaning stages. However numerically weaning at 30 d of age was higher in nutrient digestibility at pre-weaning stage than weaning at 60 and 90 d of age. For post-weaning stage all groups showed no significant difference in nutrient digestibility. As a conclusion this study shows that the weaning age does not significantly influence the nutrient digestibility of male Dorper sheep.

Full text available from: Official URL: http://mjas.my/mjas-v2/rf/pages/journal/v23i1/1-Di...

Abstract

The nutrient digestibility is an important aspect to measure the feed efficiency of feed given to the animals. Therefore this study was conducted to evaluate the nutrient digestibility of male Dorper sheep at different weaning ages. A total of 27 new-born Dorper lambs (average body weight 3.060.74 kg) were randomly divided into three equal (n9) experimental groups namely Group 1 Group 2 and Group 3 weaned at day 30 60 and 90 respectively. Creep feed (ME 12 MJ/kg and CP 18) and grower feeds (ME 10 MJ/kg and CP 14) were fed at 3.5 of their mean body weight before and after weaning respectively. Digestibility trials for Group 1 2 and 3 were conducted 10 d before the animals reached 30 60 and 90 d of age respectively. The digestibility trial was repeated at 10 d before the animal reached the age of 270 d. Three animals were selected from each group for digestibility trial and the animals were individually housed in metabolism cage. There was no significant (P0.05) difference in digestibility of DM CP CF EE and NFE among the treatment groups at pre-weaning and post-weaning stages. However numerically weaning at 30 d of age was higher in nutrient digestibility at pre-weaning stage than weaning at 60 and 90 d of age. For post-weaning stage all groups showed no significant difference in nutrient digestibility. As a conclusion this study shows that the weaning age does not significantly influence the nutrient digestibility of male Dorper sheep.

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Item Type:	Article
AGROVOC Term:	Sheep
AGROVOC Term:	Males
AGROVOC Term:	Digestibility
AGROVOC Term:	Nutrients
AGROVOC Term:	Weaning
AGROVOC Term:	Sheep housing
AGROVOC Term:	Feed formulations
AGROVOC Term:	Feeding
AGROVOC Term:	Laboratory diagnosis
AGROVOC Term:	Statistical analysis
Depositing User:	Mr. AFANDI ABDUL MALEK
Last Modified:	24 Apr 2025 00:54
URI:	http://webagris.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/9103

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