Intake and performance of lambs and hoggets fed high concentrate corn or sorghum diets

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to evaluate the dry matter, nutrient intake, and performance on feedlot of lambs and hoggets submitted to corn or sorghum high concentrate diets. Thirty-two Corriedale animals, being 16 lambs (milk teeth) and 16 hoggets (two teeth) were used. The diets were composed of white oat hay (Avena sativa), corn (Zea mays) or sorghum grain (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench), soybean meal (Glycine Max), limestone, sodium bicarbonate, and monensin. The lambs presented a superiority (P≤0.05) regarding the DMI (% of LW and g/kg LW0.75), CPI (kg/day, % of LW and g/kg LW0.75), EEI (% of LW), NDFI and ADFI (% of LW and g/kg LW0.75), TDNI (% of LW), daily average weight gain, conformation in vivo and feed conversion. On the other hand, the EEI, TCI, and NSCI (kg/day), the initial live weight, final live weight and the live weight at slaughter were superior (P≤0.05) in the hoggets category. In relation to the evaluated grains, a higher (P≤0.05) EEI (kg/day, % of LW and g/kg LW0.75) and a lower (P≤0.05) NDFI (% of LW) and ADFI (kg/day, % of LW and g/kg LW0.75) were verified for the animals fed with high concentrate diets based on corn grain in relation to those fed with sorghum grain. The lambs presented an intake relatively superior to the hoggets, however their zootechnical response is higher. The use of high concentrate diets of sorghum or corn provides similar results.

Keywords: feedlot; sheep