Effect of Pre-Weaning Diet on Lamb's Rumen Development

Twenty eight Ossimi male lambs, with an average live body weight 4.75 kg and 7 days age were randomly assigned to two feeding groups each of 14 animals to study the effect of pre-weaning diet on lamb's rumen development. Both the two groups suckled their dams until being weaned at 12 weeks of age (natural weaning). The first group depended completely on dam's milk as a solely available feed (control), while the other was supported by a starter ration which found the nutritive value to be 19.1% CP (14.5% DCP) and 81.0 TDN, besides dam's milk. Supporting natural weaned lambs with creep feeding at an earlier age influenced (p>0.05) length of the alimentary canal, however different intestinal segments maintained to keep constant ratios. The small intestine represented the major length (about 80% of the total length). Supporting lambs with creep feeding rations led also to higher volume displacement. However, different stomach compartments maintained to keep constant volumes. As shown the rumeno-reticulum indicated the higher volume capacity (nearly 80-84%).Natural weaned lambs, depended solely on rearing milk, had higher (p>0.05) abomasum volume in comparison with the creep-feeding one. On contrast creep fed group tended to have higher (p>0.05) ruminoreticulum volume capacity. Supporting rearing lambs with creep feeding at an earlier age (2wks) improved (p>0.05) ruminal papillary, being longer with more surface area in comparison with the solely feeding milk group.