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that the lamb would consume more energy and also the rumen development could occur faster.<br />
The muscular development of rumen depends upon intake of dry feed. The animals offered<br />
creep feed show greater ability to digest starch and cellulose than those reared on milk alone or<br />
those on grass pasture. Addition of high quality roughage further enhances the development<br />
process in the rumen.<br />
The feed offered during pre-weaning period should contain higher proportion of grains,<br />
viz. maize barley and sorgham etc. It should also contain fish meal or skim milk powder say<br />
about 5% alongwith mineral mixture and vitamins to ensure wool growth. The protein<br />
percentage should be 14-16 per cent. The feed consumption level during this stage should be<br />
to the extent of 5% of the body weight to obtain a growth rate of 200 g. per day. Under<br />
intensive feeding system, in other words, the growth rate of 250-300 g per day has been<br />
obtained with a feed conversion ratio of 2.7 to 3.5. Under Indian conditions such a growth rate<br />
has not been possible so far. However, a feed conversion ratio of 5 has been obtained in a feed<br />
lot experiment. To obtain good growth, the consumption level of energy and protein should be<br />
3 times the maintenance requirements and the protein to energy ratio should be 1.8 to 8.5.<br />
Post-weaning growth<br />
Post-weaning growth is generally the fattening and finishing period in the lamb feeding<br />
practice in advanced countries, where fat lamb production is a commercial enterprise. This<br />
period is very important to prepare the male lambs for the market or to get a good replacement<br />
ewe. Fatting is successful if pre-weaning growth is satisfactory. During this period 12%<br />
protein in the diet is adequate. If the pre-weaning growth is poor,a diet with higher percentage<br />
of protein(14%) is necessary. A consumption level of 4 to 4.5% of the body weight has to be<br />
ensured during this stage. To ensure this rate of intake, the energy density of feed should be<br />
very high and feed having concentrate to roughage ratio of 60:40 should be the minimum<br />
requirement. Higher percentage of concentrate upto 80% would increase the rate of growth in<br />
lambs. In feed lot experiments under the All India Co-ordinated Research Project, a growth<br />
rate of 150 to 200 g/day over 90 days feeding has been obtained in lambs. A diet of 70%<br />
concentrate and 30% roughage has been found quite suitable. If a good legume fodder is fed, a<br />
ration of 50% roughage and 50% concentrate has produced equally good results. Complete feed<br />
containing ground fodder, viz. lucerne, cowpea etc. grains, oil cakes and wheat bran have been<br />
developed. A lot more work need to be done to economise the ration by using the<br />
unconventional feed resources in the complete feed, without affecting growth.<br />
A feeding level of 2.5 times of maintenance requirement of energy and protein has<br />
produced weight gain of 100g/day over a feeding period of about 6 months (Maheshwari,<br />
1977). For higher rate of growth, feed at about 3 times the maintenance level would be<br />
necessary. The protein to energy ratio in the ration should be 1:9. It has been observed that<br />
in our conditions the post-weaning growth continues up to one year of age, although after 9<br />
months it is quite slow. If there is adequate nutrition during pre-weaning and during the 1st 3<br />
months post-weaning, there may not be much growth between 6 to 12 months of age.<br />
However,experience has shown that supplementation of concentrate or good legume hay upto<br />
one year of age gives beneficial results. A check in growth has been noticed in the 1st to 2 to 3<br />
weeks following weaning causing an adverse effect on overall growth . Prolonged growth<br />
check after weaning need to be avoided and this may be possible by ensuring full development<br />
of rumen by appropriate feeding and management during pre-weaning. The energy and<br />
protein requirements for growth calculated on the basis of some recommended formulae are<br />
given in tables 8.5 and 8.6 respectively. Post weaning growth of the lamb is also very important<br />
to prepare the male lamb for the market or to get a good replacement ewe. The feeding rate<br />
during this period should be about 4 to 5% of the body weight. To ensure this rate of intake,<br />
the energy density of the feed should be very high and feed having concentrate to roughage<br />
ratio of 60:40 should be the minimum requirement. Higher percentage of concentrate upto 80%<br />
would increase the rate of growth in lambs.<br />
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