The study of chemical and nutritional characteristics of pea (Pisum sativum L.) pod silage and its effect on the performance of finishing Zandi lambs

In order to investigate the chemical and nutritional characteristics of pea pod silage (PPS) and its effect on the performance of fattening lambs, 24 Zandi male lambs (initial BW, 33.5 ±1.5 kg) were used in a completely randomized design over 75 days. Experimental treatments were: 1) control; (basal diet) 2- pea pod silage (PPS replaced wheat straw and alfalfa in the basal diet). The amount of dry matter (DM), crude protein, ether extract, ash, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber of PPS were determined 20, 11.8, 1.8, 8, 62 and 20.2 percent, respectively, and pH was 6.02. The rumen degradability potential of DM and in vitro gas production potential of PPS after 96 h of incubation were estimated 83 and 58.6 percent, respectively. The use of PPS in fattening lambs rations improved the final body weight and increased the daily weight gain (P<0.05). The amount of DM digestibility was affected by the treatment (P<0.05), but digestibility of other nutrients was not affected by the experimental treatment. Blood parameters (cholesterol, triglyceride, HDL and LDL) were not affected by the experimental treatments, except for the glucose, which significantly decreased by feeding PPS (P<0.05). The experimental treatments had no significant effect on carcass traits. Based on the results of this study, the use of pea pod silage as a cost-effective alternative forage in replacement with common forages such as wheat straw and alfalfa can improve the performance of fattening lambs.