Evaluation of hogget production of Suffolk fed with forage based diets

Abstract

Four fattened Suffolk wethers were used to evaluate hogget production and slaughtering performance of 17 to 18 months old Suffolk fed with forage based diets.  The animals were fed timothy hay with commercial concentrate diet (THD) or Italian ryegrass straw with commercial concentrate diet (IRD) for 13 months of feeding period.  The both forages were offered to the animals at 2% BW (dry matter (DM) basis), and concentrate was fed at 40% of forage intake (as fed basis).  The both diets were offered to achieve 100 g of daily gain (DG).  The animals were housed in pens, and were fed two equal sized meals at 09.00 and 16.00 hours throughout the experiment.  At the terminal of 13 months of fattening period, the animals were slaughtered.  After slaughtering, evisceration, dressing, carcass, gastro-intestinal contents and all organs were individually weighed.

Average DG gain for the experimental period for THD and IRD was 85 and 49 g/d.  Feed efficiency (g DG/kg DM intake) was numerically higher for THD than that for IRD.  However, dressing rate and lean meat weight per empty body weight (EBW) were identical for both diets.  The carcass weight and lean meat weight were numerically greater for THD as compared to IRD, and the weight of subcutaneous fat and abdominal fat, their weight ratio to EBW were also showed greater values for THD than for IRD.  From the point of view of hogget lean meat production performance, greater feeding efficiency of low quality Italian ryegrass straw was prominent as compared to timothy hay in current study.