ISHS Acta Horticulturae 728: V International Congress on Cactus Pear and Cochineal
EFFECT OF INCLUSION OF CACTUS PEAR CLADODES IN DIETS FOR GROWING-FINISHING LAMBS IN CENTRAL MEXICO |
| Authors: | G. Aranda Osorio, C.A. Flores Valdez, M. Cruz Miranda, C. Sanchez del Real, A. Hernandez Garay |
| Keywords: | fodder, Opuntia, liveweight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, animal performance |
| Abstract:
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of forage cactus pear (nopal) in diets for growing-finishing lambs on dry matter intake (DMI), total and daily liveweight gain (LWG and DLG), feed conversion (FC) and profitability (P). Fifty-four male lambs (Corriedale x Criollo) with an average liveweight of 20.2 kg (±3.2 kg) were used. Triads of lambs were formed with similar liveweight and housed in a pen (experimental unit), which were randomly allotted to the following treatments: T0% no nopal (Control), lambs were fed with a regular growing-finishing diet. T15% Nopal, cactus pear at 15% (DM basis) of the ration. T30% nopal, cactus pear at 30% (DM basis) of the ration arranged as completely randomized design with three treatments and six replicates. The diets were formulated in order to fulfill the nutritional requirements for a growing-finishing lambs according to NRC (1985). The cladodes were chopped (approximately 2.5 cm² and mixed by hand with the diet in the feedbunk at each feeding. Lambs were fed twice a day, at 08:00 am and 4:00 pm. The experiment lasted 71 days (adaptation: 14 days, experimental period: 56 days). The inclusion of 15 or 30% cactus pear in 15 or 30% represented 55 and 75% as fed basis for T15% and T30%, respectively. Results showed that initial liveweight was similar (P>0.01) among treatments, as well as the LWG between T0% (34.54 kg) and T15% (33.95 kg), but T30% (30.71 kg) was lower (P<0.01). DMI was consistently similar (P>0.01) between T0% (0.928 kg) and T15% (0.993 kg) and higher (P<0.01) than T30% (0.615 kg). Average feed conversion was similar (P>0.01) between T0% (5.14) and T15% (5.09) but higher (P<0.01) than T30% (3.44). Lambs fed with high ratio of cactus pear (T30%) were more efficient in converting feed to LWG. The inclusion of cactus pear reduced feed cost in approximately 48 and 65% for T15% and T30%, in relation to T0%. Thus, LWG cost was reduced in about 29.1 and 64.3% in T15% and T30% in relation to T0%. The inclusion of cactus pear between 15 and 30% may represent an important alternative to feed growing-finishing lambs without affecting animal performance and reducing production costs. | |
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