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Journal of Integrative Agriculture  2013, Vol. 12 Issue (4): 670-677    DOI: 10.1016/S1671-2927(00)8823
Animal Science · Veterinary Science Advanced Online Publication | Current Issue | Archive | Adv Search |
Energy Requirements for Maintenance and Growth of German Mutton Merino Crossbred Lambs
 DENG  Kai-dong, DIAO  Qi-yu, JIANG  Cheng-gang, TU  Yan, ZHANG  Nai-feng, LIU  Jie, MA  Tao
1.Feed Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, P.R.China
2.College of Animal Science, Jinling Institute of Technology, Nanjing 210038, P.R.China
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摘要  A comparative slaughter trial and a metabolism trial were conducted to determine the requirement of net energy (NE) and metabolizable energy (ME) by the crossbreed of German Mutton Merino×Inner Mongolia Merino for fattening from 35 to 50 kg of body weight (BW). 49 crossbred female lambs ((33.9±2.3) (SD) kg BW) of German Mutton Merino×Inner Mongolia Merino were used. 34 lambs were randomly chosen for comparative slaughter, which were offered an identical mixture diet (concentrate:roughage=55:45) at 100, 75 or 55% of ad libitum intake, whereas the remainders were used in the metabolism trial to evaluate the ME of the diet after methane production was measured by open-circuit respirometry. As feed intake decreased from 100 to 75 and 55% of ad libitum intake, the apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) linearly increased (P=0.010) from 60.8 to 63.6 and 66.9%, respectively, and methane production decreased from 52.1 to 44.3 and 39.9 L d-1, respectively, but the ratio of methane energy to gross energy intake increased linearly (P=0.010) from 8.20 to 8.96 and 10.97%, respectively. Consequently, the ME values of the diet increased from 9.35 to 9.64 and 9.85 MJ kg-1 DM, respectively. The NE requirement for maintenance (NEm) was 255 kJ kg-1 BW0.75, and the ME requirement for maintenance (MEm) was 352 kJ kg-1 BW0.75, with a partial energy efficiency for maintenance (km) of 0.72. The NE requirement for growth (NEg) ranged from 1.26 to 4.66 MJ d-1 as average daily gains increased from 100 to 300 g d-1, with a partial energy efficiency for growth (kg) of 0.45. These results indicated that the NEg required by crossbred female lambs of German Mutton Merino×Inner Mongolia Merino was lower than the recommendation of the American or British nutritional system.

Abstract  A comparative slaughter trial and a metabolism trial were conducted to determine the requirement of net energy (NE) and metabolizable energy (ME) by the crossbreed of German Mutton Merino×Inner Mongolia Merino for fattening from 35 to 50 kg of body weight (BW). 49 crossbred female lambs ((33.9±2.3) (SD) kg BW) of German Mutton Merino×Inner Mongolia Merino were used. 34 lambs were randomly chosen for comparative slaughter, which were offered an identical mixture diet (concentrate:roughage=55:45) at 100, 75 or 55% of ad libitum intake, whereas the remainders were used in the metabolism trial to evaluate the ME of the diet after methane production was measured by open-circuit respirometry. As feed intake decreased from 100 to 75 and 55% of ad libitum intake, the apparent digestibility of dry matter (DM) linearly increased (P=0.010) from 60.8 to 63.6 and 66.9%, respectively, and methane production decreased from 52.1 to 44.3 and 39.9 L d-1, respectively, but the ratio of methane energy to gross energy intake increased linearly (P=0.010) from 8.20 to 8.96 and 10.97%, respectively. Consequently, the ME values of the diet increased from 9.35 to 9.64 and 9.85 MJ kg-1 DM, respectively. The NE requirement for maintenance (NEm) was 255 kJ kg-1 BW0.75, and the ME requirement for maintenance (MEm) was 352 kJ kg-1 BW0.75, with a partial energy efficiency for maintenance (km) of 0.72. The NE requirement for growth (NEg) ranged from 1.26 to 4.66 MJ d-1 as average daily gains increased from 100 to 300 g d-1, with a partial energy efficiency for growth (kg) of 0.45. These results indicated that the NEg required by crossbred female lambs of German Mutton Merino×Inner Mongolia Merino was lower than the recommendation of the American or British nutritional system.
Keywords:  efficiency       growth       maintenance       metabolizable energy       net energy       sheep  
Received: 10 November 2011   Accepted:
Fund: 

This work was conducted as part of the National Technology Program for Meat Sheep Industry of China (nycytx- 39) and funded by the Ministry of Agriculture of the People’s Republic of China.

Corresponding Authors:  Correspondence DIAO Qi-yu, Tel: +86-10-82106055, Fax: +86-10-82106090, E-mail: diaoqiyu@mail.caas.net.cn   
About author:  DENG Kai-dong, E-mail: kdeng@jit.edu.cn

Cite this article: 

DENG Kai-dong, DIAO Qi-yu, JIANG Cheng-gang, TU Yan, ZHANG Nai-feng, LIU Jie, MA Tao. 2013. Energy Requirements for Maintenance and Growth of German Mutton Merino Crossbred Lambs. Journal of Integrative Agriculture, 12(4): 670-677.

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