Abstract :

T

hirty six, three months old, local and Chios cross–bred  male lambs were used to compare three different diets of  Rhodes grass (Chloris gayana) hay, Sporobolus (Sporobolus virginicus) grass hay and steam treated (17par/2min) Sporobolus grass hay on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and some blood minerals and metabolites. The experiment lasted for 60 days, with average body weight of 11.01, 10.13, 10.21 Kg of local lambs, and 13.06, 17.78, and 13.92 Kg for Chios cross – bred lambs that offered Rhodes grass hay, Sporobolus grass hay and steam treated Sporobolus grass hay, respectively. The results indicated that, average feed intake, and daily weight gains were significantly (P < 0.05) affected by treatment and breed, while both feed conversion ratio was affected significantly (P < 0.05) by treatments, and water consumption was affected significantly by breed.  Feed conversion ratio was almost two folds for crossed lambs fed Sporobolus or those fed steamed sporoblous comparing to the other lambs. Most of lamb’s organoleptic carcass traits (carcass weight, full gastro intestinal tract; FGIT, empty gastro intestinal tract; EGIT, head, coat, legs, liver, heart, kidney, lung and abdominal fat) were significantly (P < 0.05)  affected by breed and insignificantly affected by treatment, except FGIT. Regarding carcass 9^th -11^th ribs physical decision and L. dorsi chemical analysis, there were no changes among experimental rations, while cross–bred lambs were significantly higher than the local one in all ribs physical composition. Blood chlorine, glucose, and urea were significantly differed by feeding treatment and sodium, gamma glutamyl transpeptidase; GGT and glutamate – pyruvate transaminase; GPT significantly differed by breed. Dressing percentage for Chios cross–bred male fed Rhodes grass hay or those fed steam treated Sporobolus were higher than those fed the other rations. The preliminary results indicated that Sporobolus hay could be used as alternative fodder for lambs growing, especially that local one, instead of Rhodes grass hay in coastal arid regions, with giving more emphasis for the dietary protein supplementation.

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