ABSTRACT
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of diets containing elephant grass genotypes silages as exclusive roughage on leg tissue composition, and physicochemical characteristics of meat of lambs. Twenty-four crossbred male lambs with an average initial body weight of 20.29±2.66kg were distributed in a complete randomized design with three treatments and eight replicates. The treatments consisted of three silages of elephant grass genotypes (IRI-381, Elephant B or Mott), without additives or wilting, as the only roughage. The diets did not affect (P>0.05) the dry matter (898.70±60.10 g/day), crude protein (128.93±6.91g/day), total digestible nutrients (690.20±91.82g/day) intakes, body weight at slaughter (24.83±2.79kg), and carcass yields (P>0.05). The tissue composition of the leg did not differ significantly between silages of elephant grass genotypes (P>0.05). No difference (P>0.05) for the physicochemical characteristics of meat from lambs fed diets tested was observed. Therefore, our results indicate that diets containing 50% elephant grass genotypes silages (IRI-381, Elephant B or Mott), harvested at 60 days of growth, have potential for use in lambs feeding.
Keywords:
carcass yield; feedlot sheep; grass silage; meat production; physicochemical parameters