Authors : M.A. Abouheif, M.Y. Al-Saiady, A. Aziz Makkawi, Hafiz A. Ibrahim and M.S. Kraidees
Abstract: Twenty-four Najdi ram lambs, weighing an average of 24 kg and circa 3 months old were utilized in this trial to evaluate the effect of two feeding frequencies on growth performance, carcass characteristics, digestion coefficients, nitrogen retention and ruminal VFA and ammonia-N concentrations. The feeding protocol involved once daily feeding at 0800 h and twice daily feeding in two equal portions at 08:00 and 15:00 h lambs were offered a sufficient quantity of total daily DM (95 g DM day-1 w0.75) to resemble ad libitum consumption. All lambs were slaughtered after a 14 week feeding trial. Although, the results showed no significant effect of frequency of feeding on DMI, ADG, carcass weight, digestibility of DM, CP and ADF and N-retention, lambs fed one meal daily had higher (p<0.05) gain efficiency and NDF digestibility and lower (p<0.05) dressing percentage than lambs fed two meals daily. Rumen total VFA concentrations at all post-feeding intervals were not influenced (p>0.05) by feeding frequency, except at 10 h post-feeding; rumen VFA concentration value at 10 h post-feeding was higher (p<0.05) in lambs fed once daily than those fed twice daily. Feeding once daily resulted in a greater (p<0.05) molar proportion of propionate and a smaller (p<0.05) molar proportion of acetate than from feeding twice daily. The ruminal fluctuations in total VFA and ammonia-N concentrations were less obvious in the lambs fed twice daily than once daily.
M.A. Abouheif, M.Y. Al-Saiady, A. Aziz Makkawi, Hafiz A. Ibrahim and M.S. Kraidees, 2010. Effect of Either Once or Twice Daily Feeding of Pelleted High-Concentrate Diet on Performance and Digestion in Growing Lambs. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 9: 925-931.