'Baghdad University College of Veterinary Medicine'
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the effect of the addition of pomegranate peel powder to concentrate diet at a level of zero (T1), 1.5 (T2) and 3% (T3) on productive performance of Awassi lambs. The concentrate was offered to lambs at a rate of 2.5% of live body weight and ground wheat straw on the adilbitum basis. Results revealed that there was a significant (P<0.05) increase in straw dry matter, organic matter and nitrogen intakes by lambs fed the low level of pomegranate peel powder (T2), whereas, lower values were recorded by lambs fed the high level (T3). With the similar trend of change, total dry matter intake were 1056.03, 954.61 and 841.48 g/day, and 975.35, 896.24 and 793.92 g/day of total organic matter intake, and 8.49, 7.73 and 6.70 g/day of total nitrogen intake for treatments 2, 1 and 3 respectively. Although there was no significant effect in growth parameters, lambs fed T2 gained better final weight, total and daily gains, 34.20, 8.15 and 145.53 g/day respectively, however, lambs fed T3 recorded 31.52, 5.72 and 101.34 g/day for these parameters respectively. Lambs fed T1 and T2 achieved better values of feed conversion ratio as compared with lambs in T3. Lower digestion coefficients were recorded by lambs fed T2 as compared with lambs fed T1 and T3 with a slight difference in dry matter digestibility (58.39%) and organic matter digestibility (59.68%), and relatively high differences in crude protein digestibility (51.78%) and nitrogen-free extract digestibility (63.85%). Lambs fed T2 were prior in ether extract digestibility in comparison with lambs fed T3, where digestion coefficients were 59.92% and 55.09% respectively vs. 60.17% for control treatment. Crude fiber digestion coefficients were closed among the three treatments
