Sheep - AgRIS

arabica), dhamani (Grewia elastica) kankera (Gymnosporia), kachnar (Bauhinia variegata),
khark (Celtis australis), khejri (Prosopis cineraria), kheri (Acacia senegal), subabul (Leucaena
latisiliqua), neem (Azadirachata indica), semal (Bombex malabaricum) siras (Albizia lebbek),
timla (Ficus rozburghi) zinja (Bauhinia recemosa) etc. At present their number in the range and
common grazing lands is very small. Since they are being lopped very severely every year, they
are not able to provide sufficient fodder. Hence a scientific method of lopping should be
practised for getting maximum fodder from a tree. Through lopping studies it has been
observed that Ardu trees should be lopped at six month interval whereas in Khejri the young
trees should be lopped once a year and the full grown trees twice a year. In neem the reverse
trend of khejri can be adopted. The trees not only provide green fodder during scarcity period
but also check the soil erosion and improve soil texture. They also provide shade to the grazing
sheep during summer. The fodder trees should be planted in the grazing lands in large numbers.
In a well established and properly managed pasture 100 fodder trees and 100 bushes per hectare
maintaining row to row and plant to plant distance of each species l0m and l0m, respectively
should be planted after the first monsoon rains. This system has the advantage of providing
three-tier feed resources. During wet months, the sheep can graze the green grass and during
dry season they can look upto the green foliage of shrubs and trees. An additional yield of 18-
20 q of good quality dry fodder per hecatre per year can be obtained from these 100 full grown
trees by lopping them twice a year. The lopping can be done in November-December and agin
in May-June and in such a manner that trees have no lopping injury. As good grazing on the
surface is available during October-November, the leaves may be lopped during scarcity
periods of January to March. The lopping available in May-June may be fed fresh. Ardu
(Ailanthus excelsa) leaves are best a nong all the fodder trees from palatability and nutritive
value point of view. It is a very fast growing tree and the leaves can serve as a maintance and
production ration for sheep as a sole feed. The pods of many trees specially babool (Acacia
arabica) and khejri (Prosopis cineraria) are very nutritious and palatable, and serve as a good
source offeed for flushing ewes.
9.4 Supplementary feeding
9. 4.1 Fattening of lambs
Post-weaning growth is primarily affected by hereditary factors, plane of nutrition,
prevailing meteorological conditions, animals ability to adapt to the environment and
managemental stresses. In agriculturally advanced countries post-weaning phase of growth is
mainly used for fattening and finishing purpose, whereas, in our intensive mutton production
strategies, the active growth is completed by 5 to 6 months of age depending on the weaning
age of lambs. In view of lower growth rate of native sheep, under AICRP on Mutton
improvement in their rate of gain and productivity was attempted through crossbreeding local
sheep with superior mutton breeds. The crossbred weaner (90 days) lambs in 90 days intensive
feeding exhibited superior growth rate (180 g ADG) compared to their native (127 g ADG)
counterparts. In view of similar growth performance of different genetic lines of evolved
crossbreds lambs, the defined exotic crosses were merged together and renamed as Mutton
Synthetic. These Mutton Synthetic (MS), Malpura Selected (IM) and Sonadi (S) weaner (90
days) lambs could achieve 170, 150 and 118 g ADG with 1:5 to 7 feed efficiency ratio under
intensive feeding on 50:50 roughage (Pala leaf) and concentrate based ration. In the experiment
out of 99 MS lambs used, 90 percent lambs achieved finishing weight of 30 kg live weight in
56 days of intensive feeding and out of 7 IM lambs 71 percent achieved target weight in 66
days. Similarly fed native Nali, Chokla and their crosses with Merino/Rambouillet weaner
lambs had average daily gain of 111 to 135 g with 1: 12-15 feed efficiency ratio. Faster gain in
feedlot lambs is associated with higher fat content of carcass some time exceeding 20 percent,
hence, the weaning age of lambs can be reduced from 90 to 60 days to improve feed conversion
efficiency, save higher feed input in undesirable fat deposition and to provide early economic
return. Accordingly lambs after weaning at 60 or 90 days were put to feedlot experiment on a
50:50 roughage concentrate ration for further 90 days. The Mutton Synthetic lambs had 160
and 151 g ADG, 16 and 12 percent feed efficiency, respectively, in groups weaned at 60 and 90
days of age and respective figures for Malpura lambs were 139 and 146 g ADG and 16 and 14
percent feed efficiency. In slaughter studies it was observed that irrespective of age of slaughter
and feeding regimen carcass ofthe finisher lambs weighing around 25 kg provided desirable
carcass characteristics. In accordance with the findings the lambs can be weaned at 60 days of
455