Abstract

GOMEZ-GURROLA, Agapito et al. Carcass yield of hair breed lambs fed with different levels of Tithonia diversifolia y Pennisetum spp.. Abanico vet [online]. 2017, vol.7, n.2, pp.34-42. ISSN 2448-6132.  https://doi.org/10.21929/abavet2017.72.3.

The objective of the present work was to evaluate the hot carcass yield and the feed cost of hair breed lambs fed diets with 60:40 forage/concentrate. The forage of the diets contained different levels of Tithonia diversifolia (TD) and Penisetumm spp (20:80, 30:70, 40:60 and 50:50, respectively). Twenty hair breed lambs of 19.41± 2.25 kg were used. Twenty male lambs with a mean body weight of 19.41± 2.25 kg kg were used. Animals were divided randomly into four equal groups. Hot carcass length (LCC), Longissimus dorsi deepness and back fat thickness (EGD) were measured. Legs, shoulders, ribs, neck and loin were weighted. The dressing and feed cost per kg of body weight gain was calculated. Lambs fed with higher levels of TD showed lower (p < 0.05) feed cost. Nevertheless, there were no effect (p>0.05) of TD levels on carcass characteristics. In conclusion, feed cost decreases as levels of Tithonia diversifolia in diets increase without effect on carcass characteristics.

Keywords : forage; feeding; hair breed ovine.