Effect of Cotton Gin Trash Supplementation as Unconventional Feedstuff on Feed Intake and Production Characteristics of Mecheri Sheep of India

This study investigated the effects of feeding cotton gin trash (CGT) to Mecheri ram lambs, as an alternate diet, on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality. A performance trial was conducted with thirty-two weaned lambs average body weight 12.64 ± 0.74 kg, which were assigned four groups (n = eight animals in each group). The diet’s roughage part replaced by CGT at percentages 0% (T1), 25% (T2), 50% (T3), 75% (T4). lasted six months (180 days) from weaning 3–4 until 9 for marketing. All fed a dry matter requirement basis 4% their weight. revealed that 50 (T3) 75 (T4) % inclusion levels showed significantly (p < 0.01) higher total gain than T1 T2 groups. daily T3 (99.24 g) T4 (105.51 (80.77 (83.61 Throughout period, there no statistically significant > 0.05) difference Dry Matter Intake (DMI) (g) between groups; however, demonstrated feed efficiency (7.4) (9.3) group. slaughter studies followed registered hot weight, dressing percentage, meat: bone ratio group animals. had weights liver, spleen, head, stomach, empty intestines when compared edible inedible offals. In addition, variations pH, WHC, shear force value, sensory proximate composition among treatment SFA T3, T4, substantially greater control (T1). contrast, proportion MUFA There PUFA or PUFA/SFA accordance current research findings, can be added up component sheep effective unconventional supplementation, it improves efficiency, characteristics lambs.