ABSTRACT
This study examined the effect of hatchery wastes (HW) on feed intake, performance, and carcass components in fattening lambs. Thirty male lambs were fed HW for 90 days in a completely randomized design. The experimental diets were: 1) control (C) (without HW), 2) diet containing 3% HW (3%HW) and 3) diet containing 6% HW (6%HW). HW was substituted for cotton seed meal. Dry matter intake increased linearly with HW inclusion in diets (P = 0.001) as did final weight (P = 0.05), average daily gain (ADG) (P = 0.001) and warm and cold carcass weights (P < 0.03). The shoulder, leg and total lean meat weights were also linearly increase by HW (P < 0.02) and percent bone in the carcass was linearly reduced (P < 0.05). The physicochemical characteristics of Longissimus thoracis were not influenced by feeding HW. Because of enhanced animal performance and carcass weight in lambs, the inclusion of HW can be seen as an excellent substitute for cotton seed meal in fattening lamb diets.