Randomized trial evaluates growth, organ weight, and carcass traits in finishing lambs, suggesting optimal feeding strategies for better outcomes.
Key Points
The study aims to assess how different durations of feed restriction affect the growth performance and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs.
Evaluated 30 Polypay wethers over a 56-day finishing period with different feed restrictions: CON (ad libitum), 28L (28 days restriction), 56L (56 days restriction).
Measured daily dry matter intake (DMI), final body weights, average daily gain (ADG), feed-to-gain ratio (G:F), and carcass traits.
Each treatment group was blocked by body weight and assigned to two lambs per pen.
DMI decreased significantly with longer feed restriction (p < 0.001) while final body weight, ADG, and G:F showed no significant differences (p ≥ 0.11).
Carcass weights and muscle/bone masses were lower in 28L compared to CON (p ≤ 0.04), while 56L was statistically similar to CON.
Relative liver mass was highest in 28L and lowest in 56L (p = 0.03), indicating an impact of restriction length on visceral organ recovery.