An-Najah Staff

This research was conducted to investigate the effect of utilization mixture of some agricultural by - products silage (poultry manure, wheat straw, tomato fruits) on the visceral organ mass of Awassi lambs. A total of 20 Awassi lambs an average body weight of 21.5Kg. were used in this experiment. Lambs were divided into four groups of five lambs each. Lambs in the first group were fed a commercial concentrate feed mixture . Lambs in the second, third and fourth groups were with fed the commercial concentrate feed beside silage with rate of 15, 30 and 45%, respectively. Silage was fed instead of the same amounts of the concentrate feed. Lambs were fed their rations individually for 60 days. Type of diet had growth performance and variable effects on visceral organs. Lambs fed diet containing 15% silage appeared to heavier (P<0.05) trachea and lowest (P<0.05) weight of kidney compared to lambs in other groups. Also, they had the lowest (PO.05) weights of the omasum wet tissue, omasum and abomasums wet and dry contents. However lambs fed 45% silage diet had the heaviest (p<0.05) weights of the above items.

Effects of form of olive cake (OC) on growth performances and carcass quality were studied on forty-eight Awassi lambs. All lambs were male with an average body weight of 29.5 kg (S.D. = 2.3 kg) at the beginning of the experiment. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of 12 lambs each. Lambs in each group received individually corn–soybean meal (SBM) total mixed rations (TMRs). Rations were incorporated with a fixed amount (149 g/kg DM) of OC of different forms: crude OC, a product of the three centrifugation extraction procedure (control group), alkali treated, ensiled and pelleted. All rations were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The growth experiment lasted 10 weeks. In the following week, all lambs were slaughtered. At termination of the experiment, lambs fed crude, alkali treated or ensiled OC rations consumed more feed and gained more weight (P<0.05) than those fed the pelleted OC. This same trend was found for the feed conversion (FC), carcass and empty body weights (EBWs). However, external (hide, head and feet, HHF) and thoracic organs (heart and lungs, HL), gut and liver weights proportional to EBW (g/kg) were not affected by the form of OC. The form of OC had no effects on muscle (P=0.4) and bone (P=0.21) tissues. Carcass, pelvic, kidney fats and total carcass fats weights when expressed as g/kg EBW and the percent of carcass fat of total body fat (TBF) were lower in lambs fed the pelleted OC compared to those offered the other forms of OC. However, the subcutaneous, inter muscular and TBF fats weights (g/kg) were comparable among lambs in different OC form rations. Results from this work suggest that the treated OC had no advantages compared to crude in regard to parameters investigated in this research.

Effects of partial substitution of barley grain and soybean meal with fleabane (FB) Conyza bonariensis on growth performances and body compositions of 24 male local Awassi lambs were studied. All lambs were male with an average BW of 20.3 kg (s.d. = 2.0 kg) at the beginning of the experiment. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of six lambs each. Lambs in each group received individually their cereal–soybean-based total mixed rations with levels of FB: 0, 50, 100 and 150 g/kg dry matter (DM) diet, which replaced similar values of barley and soybean meal. All rations were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The fattening experiment lasted 9 weeks, after which all lambs were slaughtered. The composition of nutrients in the C. bonariensis were 89.6%, 15.0%, 28.0%, 30.0% and 10% for organic matter, CP, NDF, ADF and lignin, respectively. At the end of the experiment, lambs fed 100 and 150 g FB/kg DM diets gained more weight (P < 0.05) than those fed the control and 50 g FB/kg DM diets. The DM intake was lower in lambs fed the highest level of FB compared with intakes of lambs in other treatments. Diet content of FB had significant effect (P < 0.05) on weights of empty body, carcass, gut and external (hide, head and feet) among all animals. However, FB had no effects on lambs’ thoracic organs (lungs and heart) and liver. Muscle, bone, omental and mesenteric fat, subcutaneous, intermuscular, pelvic and kidney fat weights (g/kg empty BW) were not affected by FB feeding. Carcass fat was decreased (P < 0.05) by the increase of FB. Total body fat was the same in all animals of the experiment.

Effects of form of olive cake (OC) on growth performances and carcass quality were studied on forty-eight Awassi lambs. All lambs were male with an average body weight of 29.5 kg (S.D. = 2.3 kg) at the beginning of the experiment. Animals were randomly divided into four groups of 12 lambs each. Lambs in each group received individually corn–soybean meal (SBM) total mixed rations (TMRs). Rations were incorporated with a fixed amount (149 g/kg DM) of OC of different forms: crude OC, a product of the three centrifugation extraction procedure (control group), alkali treated, ensiled and pelleted. All rations were isonitrogenous and isocaloric. The growth experiment lasted 10 weeks. In the following week, all lambs were slaughtered. At termination of the experiment, lambs fed crude, alkali treated or ensiled OC rations consumed more feed and gained more weight (P<0.05) than those fed the pelleted OC. This same trend was found for the feed conversion (FC), carcass and empty body weights (EBWs). However, external (hide, head and feet, HHF) and thoracic organs (heart and lungs, HL), gut and liver weights proportional to EBW (g/kg) were not affected by the form of OC. The form of OC had no effects on muscle (P=0.4) and bone (P=0.21) tissues. Carcass, pelvic, kidney fats and total carcass fats weights when expressed as g/kg EBW and the percent of carcass fat of total body fat (TBF) were lower in lambs fed the pelleted OC compared to those offered the other forms of OC. However, the subcutaneous, inter muscular and TBF fats weights (g/kg) were comparable among lambs in different OC form rations. Results from this work suggest that the treated OC had no advantages compared to crude in regard to parameters investigated in this research.

This experiment investigated the effect of feeding different levels of sesame oil cake on the intake and digestibility of DM, CP, crude fiber, and crude fat in Awassi fattening lambs. Sesame oil cake was incorporated into lamhs’ rafions at levels of 10 and 20% to replace similar percentages of barley and soybean. The results showed that the high level of sesame oil cake inclusion decreased DM and protein intake, however, it increased (P<0.05) crude fiber, crude fat and copper intake. Addition of 20% sesame oil cake also increased (P<0.05) the digestibility of CP and crude fiber. Sesame oil cake resulted in more daily gain and better feed conversion efficiency compared to control. The results indicated that addition of sesame oil cake to Awassi lambs’ rations had some economical advantages in digestibility and performance compared to traditional fattening rations. The higher cost of gain was in lambs fed the commercial fattening feed. Sesame oil cake reduced (P<0.05) cost of gain. This was because of the low costs of rations incorporated with sesame oil cake.

A feeding trial was conducted with fattening Awassi lambs using corrugated carton to study the nutritional effect of this by-product and to search for low cost rations. Thirty male lambs were assigned to three dietary treatments. The control diet was composed of 40% barley, 16% soybean meal, 12% wheat bran, 1% limestone, 1% salt, 1% lambs’ premix and 29% wheat straw. To each of the experimental rations, carton was incorporated instead of wheat straw at levels of 10 and 20%, respectively. Cardboard was treated with urea prior to use. The lamb feeding trial extended for a period of 40 days. Average initial live weights were 29.6, 29.9 and 29.5 kg for each of the three groups, respectively. Mean daily gains were 210, 200 and 205 g per day for each of the three groups, respectively. Average feed conversion rates were 6.3, 6.7 and 6.8 kg feed per kg gain and the feed costs per kg gain were US$ 0.94, 0.87 and 0.74 for each of the three treatments, respectively. The results of the experiment indicated that the low levels of carton in lambs fattening rations had no disadvantages on performance compared to the control ration used. The experiment showed that, under current feed prices in the Palestinian Authority, replacing up to 20% of wheat straw with carton proves to be beneficial and economically feasible.

This research was conducted to investigate the performance of Awassi lambs in the two fattening systems in Palestine. Both systems are based in specific locations in the country with variable outcomes. A total of sixty Awassi lambs were used in the experiment. Lambs were divided into two groups of thirty lambs in each. Lambs in the first group were fed a concentrate ration similar to those fed in commercial fattening operations. Lambs in the second group were fed a barley-based diet (70% barley plus 30% legume roughage). Lambs were fed their rations for 70 days. Lambs were weighed at weekly basis. At day 42 of beginning of the feeding trial, a digestibility trial was conducted on eight of each group. A six days total collection of feed, feces and urine was performed. The performance of lambs fed the commercial fattening rations was much belter than lambs fed the barley based rations. This was observed from the performance parameters such as the total gain, average daily gain (278 vs. 146 g) and the feed conversion efficiencies. Lambs fed the commercial fattening rations had average feed efficiency of 5.5 kg while that of lambs the barley based rations was 8.8 kg. The cost of gain was significantly (P<0.05) higher in lambs fed the barley-based diets. The digestion trials showed that the dry matter and nutrients digestibility were higher for the commercial fattening rations compared to barley based rations.