Olive Oil Cake as Animal Feed B. Use of Olive Oil Cake Supplemented with Urea in the Rations of Growing Barbary Lambs

Abstract

Olive Oil Cake (OOC) was analysed for macro and micro minerals and was found to contain sufficient quantities of K. Cu, Mn and Zn to meet the daily requirements of sheep when fed at the experimental level.

In feeding and growth trials OOC was used to replace the commercial concentrate (14% crude protein) of Barbary lambs on a dry matter basis at the rates: commercial concentrate without OOC (control), 15% OOC. 25% OOC and 50% OOC in rations 1, 2, 3 and 4. respectively. Urea was added to rations 2, 3 and 4 to make them isonitrogenous with the control ration at 14% crude protein (CP) level. Each ration was then fed to one group of lambs for a period of 8 weeks. Oat hay was used as the roughage part of the diet. Growth performance of lambs, dressing percentages and carcass quality were evaluated.

There were no significant differences in performance and dressing percentages between groups. Lambs fed the highest OOC level had the lowest feed conversion efficiency of dry matter and protein. Carcasses of lambs fed OOC rations contained more subcutaneous and peritoneal fat than the control.

It is concluded that OOC is a potential semi-bulky or bulky feed for lambs and it can successfully substitute up to 25% of the commercial concentrate when the ration is supplemented with urea.