The effect of using urea-molasses blocks and level of concentrate on performance and some carcass characteristics in Awassi Lambs

Abstract

This study was conducted in the field of sheep at the college of Agriculture-University of Tikrit from 23/11/2011 until 14/2/2012. 24 Awassi Lambs were used in this experiment with age range 4-5 months and average weight (21.150±3.44) kg..These lambs were divided into 6 groups according to their weight, each group had 4 lambs, then distributed the treatments randomly on groups . This experiment included treatment with urea- molasses blocks and lambs submitted to three levels of concentrate feed from the feed position on the basis of body weight, 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5% for each diet and the experiment lasted for 84 days. Results showed that lambs fed at 3.5% of the concentrate feed had higher (P <0.05) increase total weight gain (kg) and the rate of daily weight gain (g / day) and the final weight (kg) and dry matter consumed, compared with those fed on mid-level and low 2.5 and 1.5% of concentrate . As the greatest (P <0.05) the rate of daily weight gain and the total weight gain and a final weight of lambs fed on urea- molasses blocks is compared with the group not fed on blocks. The three levels of forage with urea- molasses blocks showed that the positive impact of increasing the daily weight gain and, total, and the final weight of lambs was at 3.5% feed-level center with / without the blocks compared to the other treatments. The results also show that the values of food conversion rate were not significantly affected as a result of increasing the level of concentrate feed and regarding the impact of urea molasses blocks made of lambs when calculating these values, based on the total intake of dry matter / kg weight gain. While with respect to the blocks and concentrate feed level has surpassed feeder lambs at 1.5% feed cubes center without significantly (P <0.05) compared to other treatments. As for the carcass characters , the results showed an accurately improvement of group of complementary urea- molasses blocks in terms of hot and cold carcass weight of compared to the non-complementary blocks and did not differ in terms of dressing percentage based on the hot and cold weight. The feeder lambs at 3.5% feed concentrate of the body weight significantly superior (P <0.05) on the lambs at 2.5 and 1.5% in terms of hot and cold carcass weights, did not differ for the proportion of cold and hot dressing percentage. The levels of feed three with cubes of urea _ molasses showed that the weights of carcass hot and the cold was superior significantly (P <0.05) when the lambs at 3.5% feed concentrate with blocks compared with lambs at the level of 1.5% with / without the blocks and the level of 2.5% without the blocks and accurately with lamb feeding at the 2.5% level with the blocks and 3.5% without blocks. These treatments did not differ in terms of dressing percentage based on the hot and cold carcass weight .