Effects of frequent oil treatment on the performance of native growing rams under intensive management system

Abstract

The effects of oral administration of seven mL soybeen oil/kg live weight (LW) on the performance and carcass characteristics of native ram. In a 162 days feeding trial, 18 growing native rams (9.4 ± 1.2 kg BW and 176 ± 5.6 d of age) were randomly allocated to three treatments (T₀, control, T₁, monthly infusion of oil and T₂, fortnightly oil infusion group) with six replicates in each. All animals were fed roughage (Ad lib urea molasses straw, UMS) and concentrate (1.5% of body weight). After feeding and digestion trial, five animals in each group were slaughtered for carcass characteristics. During the trial, growth rate was significantly (P<0.05) influenced by the treatments (T₀, T₁ and T₂ were 69.5, 83.8 and 69.8 g/d). On average, T₁ group showed 20.7% higher growth over the control and T₁. The protozoa populations were reduced by 74% and 84% in T₁ and T₂ than that of control group. Consequently, the ammonia concentration in the rumen fluid of T₁ group was significantly (P<0.05) lower (177 mg/L) than that of T₂ (208.0 mg/L) and control (245.0 mg/L) group, respectively. Consequently, Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was better (8.0) belonged to T₁ than that of control (8.6) and T₂ (9.3). Interestingly, fat deposition was inclined significantly (P<0.05) in T₂ group than that of T₁ and control, which is unacceptable to the customers. Meanwhile, fortnightly oil treatment (T₂) is not recommended, but further study is required with different intervals.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/bvet.v28i1.8810  

Bangl. vet. 2011. Vol. 28, No. 1, 19-30