Replacement of mustard oil cake by urea in short-term strategic feeding of cull ewes to improve body condition and carcass traits

摘要: Strategic short-term feeding of culled Malpura ewes (age >6 years, average liveweight 26.8 ± 0.96 kg) was aimed at improving their body condition and increase marketability carcass following slaughter. Randomly, 8 out 40 were slaughtered to study initial (Day 0) traits the remaining equally divided into two groups: mustard cake (Control) urea. They stall fed with ad libitum guar straw (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) concentrate mixture 25 g/kg after 4 h morning grazing in pasture. The Control group offered solvent extracted whereas it replaced on an equivalent nitrogen (N) basis urea other group. Daily feed intake weekly change ewe score measured during 91 days experiment. There no significant (P > 0.05) difference digestibility nutrients between groups. Both groups had similar dry matter metabolisable energy intake, but recorded higher < cumulative weight gain score. Ruminal fluid samples blood biochemical measurements analysed periodically (0, 45 days), ruminal post-feeding hours also analysed. periodic variation rumen pH = 0.013), volatile fatty acid 007), total N 0.001) ammonia-N 0.025) concentration both Higher 0.031) 0.003) values observed ciliate protozoal population showed a quadratic response over time decline post-grazing, not affected by treatment. Similar improvements haemoglobin, glucose, protein, cholesterol levels evident days. treatments improvement composition, distribution fat chemical composition Longissimus dorsi realimentation compared values. Short-term pre-slaughter cull improved condition, composition. Replacement costly diet could be means improve profitability this strategic protocol, as well enhancing market value.