The optimum economic method for fattening Iraqi lambs with different periods of fasting pre- slaughtering

Abstract

This study was conducted in the animal field that belongs to Animal Resource Dept.,College of Agriculture and Forestry,Mosul University. Sixteen local males lambs were used at the began of fasting process with age about 7-8 months and initial weight average 38.200 kg , were divided randomly into four groups and then distributed randomly into four treatments. The treatments consisted of different fasting periods which were 0 (control), 12 , 24 and 36 hours pre-slaughtering lambs. During this study the animals were fed about 1 kg of concentrate diet / day for each animal, Moreover these animals went out to graze for pastures about five hours period every day through this experiment as a flushing for one month before slaughtering operations.The statistical analysis of the initial weight are non significant.The results indicated that the average of liveweight of lambs were increased through the feeding period on the flushing ration.The average of daily weight gains of these lambs were 293,246,222,250 gm/animal/day of four groups respectively since the first day of starting of the experiment until conducting the fasting period.The results indicated that there were depression in liveweight percentage of lambs which were 3.31,4.39,4.27% respectively for the second, third and fourth groups when compared with control group (first).Moreover, the results indicated that where increase in net revenue for the last three experimental groups when compared with control group (first).The net revenue were 0.920,100.930,104.761,105.840 dinars of four groups respectively. The total costs of feeding was depression with increased fasting period before slaughtering in the experimental lambs groups (second, third and fourth treatments) while the total costs of feeding was stable on along feeding period in control group (first) which equal about 185 dinars per lamb.