EFFECT OF REPLACING MAIZE WITH Guazuma ulmifolia FRUITS ON PELIBUEY SHEEP PERFORMANCE AND CARCASS YIELD

Abstract

This work was done in order to evaluate the productive performance of fattening pelibuey lambs, carcass yield and the production costs when maize grain was replaced by grounded Guazuma ulmifolia fruit at 15 and 26% in their diet. An analysis of variance with a covariate design (initial weight and at slaughter) was used and the difference between means was compared with the Tukey's test (P> 0.05). A chemical analysis of the fruit was performed along with in vitro and in situ digestibility. 27 male and female lambs were used at an average weight of 16.159  ±  3.615 kg. Food Intake, weight gain, feed conversion ratio and costs of the feed portions were evaluated.  The animals were slaughtered at an average weight of 38.258 ± 3.684 kg. 4 male lambs were randomly assigned to each one of the treatments. Carcass and loin length, average leg, forequarters, spine, ribs and loin weight, warm carcass weight and yield; and price per kilogram of the warm carcass produced were obtained. The G. umlifolia fruit chemical analysis showed content of (%): 12.8 CP, 63.5 NDF, 54 ADF, 70 TND, 51 in vitro and 48.3 in situ digestibility, a=6.5 and b=37.5 and c= 0.025.  Final weight in kg were for T1, T2 and T3 30.422 ±   4.790, 29.336 ± 5.802 and 28.456 ± 4.907 respectively; total weight gain were 13.911 ± 2.742a and 13.489 ± 4.144a 12.356 ± 2.339b Kg (P<0.05) in treatments 1, 2 and 3.   Average feed conversion was 6.72:1 for the three treatments. The guasima fruit had a positive impact in the production cost there was a reduction per kilogram of produced meat up to 9 and 22% in T2 and T3 respectively. No significant differences were found between treatments for yield, carcass and meat production (P<0.05).  In T1 was 46.69 ± 2.91%, 49.06 ± 2.20% T2 and 45.73 ± 2.64 % in T3. It is concluded that under the conditions of this experiment, it is feasible to feed pelibuey lambs with G. ulmifolia fruit up to 15% in substitution for maize grain without affecting yield and improving the economic efficiency.