Determination of Nutritive Value and Feeding Different Levels of Vetch-Barley Mixed Culture on Fattening Performance of Moghani Male Lamb

The objective of this study was the determination of nutritive value and feeding different levels of vetch-barley mixed culture on fattening performance, blood metabolites and apparent nutrient digestibility of Moghani male lamb. This experiment was performed by using 16 Moghani male lambs in a complete randomized design with 4 experimental diets during 75 days. Dietary treatments were: 1) control diet without vicia-barly mixed culture, 2) diet with 33 percent vicia-barly mixed culture, 3) diet with 66 percent vicia-barly mixed culture and 4) diet with 100 percent vicia-barly mixed culture. The metabolizable energy content of vicia-barly was estimated 2.64 Mcal/kg by gas test data. The experimental diets had a significant effect on weight change, daily weight gain and feed conversion ratio. Apparent digestibility of DM and CP was significantly affected by experimental diets. Experimental diets had a significant effect on plasma glucose concentration (P=0.002). Based on obtained results, replacing vicia-barley mixed culture up to 33 percent of lamb fattening diets with forage and concentrate portion of diets with balancing it according to nutrients requirements of animals is recommended.