ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to evaluate the residual feed intake (RFI), volatile fatty acid (VFA) production and enteric methane (CH4) from growing Pelibuey sheep. In this case, 12 non-castrated Pelibuey with an initial average live weight (LW) of 21.17 ± 3.87 kg and an age of 3 months, were housed in individual pens and fed a basal diet with 16% of crude protein and 11 MJ ME for 45 days. Dry matter intake (DMI) was measured and the daily weight gain (DWG) was calculated using a linear regression between the LW and experimental period. Mean metabolic live weight (LW0.75) was calculated. RFI was determined by linear regression with DWG and LW0.75 as independent variables. Lambs were classified as low, medium, and high RFI. Feed efficiency was determined as DWG/DMI. For determining rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen concentration NH3-N), and VFA, ruminal fluid was obtained using an esophageal probe on day 40. Feed intake of low RFI lambs was approximately 16% lower (p < 0.05) while growth rate was not significantly different. Their average energy loss, expressed as CH4 production per kilogram of metabolic weight, was 17% lower (p < 0.05).
ABSTRACT
Feed efficiency was measured in thirty Pelibuey noncastrated male lambs using the residual feed intake (RFI) and residual intake and gain (RIG). The lambs were fattened for 92 d and then slaughtered, with the aim of identifying the interplay between feed efficiency indices (FEIs) and performance, rumen fermentation parameters, carcass characteristics and meat quality traits from the 15 intermediate and most extreme lambs for each FEI. The mean values of the classes were -0.09, 0.00, and 0.09 kg DM/d for low, medium and high RFI, respectively. The RIG indicators were 2.6, -0.1, and -2.7, for high, medium and low, respectively. The lambs with high-RIG had a higher (P ≤ 0.05) average daily gain and improved feed conversion. Lambs with low-RFI and high-RIG had higher (P < 0.05) values of meat cooking loss. Efficient lambs had improved feed utilization without affecting the carcass characteristics or meat quality (except for cooking loss).
