Tanzania Journal of Agriculture Science 1998, Vol. 1(2): pp149-156
Twenty four Black Head Persian (BHP) castrate lambs weighing 14.1 ± 2.7 kg were randomly allotted to four dietary treatments . Animals on treatment A (control) were fed Rhodes (Chloris gayana) hay, ad libitum as basal diet, plus 3BO-g maize bran daily. Animals on treatments B,
C and D were fed 'basal diet plus 3BO g of "maize bran and lablab meal" mixture at a ratio of
2.B:1, 0.9:1 and 0.27:1, respectively daily. Four animals from each treatment were selected
for slaughter at the end of 99th day of feeding. The level of inclusion of lablab in the lambs'
diet had no significant effect on all killing-out characteristics. However, the increase in dietary
lablab level in supplement increased the hot carcass weight (HCW) and empty body
weight (EBW). The mean HCWfortreatmentsA, B, C, andD were B.O, B.B, 9.2 and 9. 7 kg,
respectively, while the respective mean EBWs were 15.3, 16.9, 17.B and 1B.2 kg. Dressing
percentage showed no definite pattern. Regression of HCW on EBW and on slaughter weight
showed high correlation coefficients (r = 0.91 and r = 0.90, respectively). Lean tissue weight
increased with increasing lablab level in the supplement diet, while fat tissue decreased with
increased dietary lablab levels (P < 0.10). Differences among treatments in carcass fat were
however small and statistically non-significant. Although bone tissue did not show any defined
trend, animals on treatment Chad heavier (B30 vs 716 g) carcass bone than animals on
treatment A (P< 0.10). Expr,essed as percentages of the carcass, the weights of lean, fat and
bone showed no significant treatment effects. However, the trend was an increase in percentage
of lean tissue and a decrease in percentage offat tissue with increasing level of lablab in
the supplement diet (60.9,51.3, 61.1 and 63% lean and 19.1,20.2, 1B.4and 17.5%fat,for
treatments A, B, C and D, respectively).