<b>Carcass characteristics of confinement-finished lambs fed on high moisture corn silage at different proportions</b> - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v32i3.7877

Abstract

Effect of concentrated compounds either with unmixed corn silages or with sunflower or urea on the composition, performance and carcass yield of ½ Hampshire Dow and ½ without definite race lambs finished in feedlots was evaluated. Three treatments were evaluated: corn grain silages (CGS); CGS with sunflower grains; SGS with urea. Twenty-four male lambs, mean initial live weight of 23 kg, allotted in treatments (8 animals treatment^-1), were employed. After slaughter, carcasses were weighed for hot carcass weight (HCW) and then refrigerated at 4°C for 24 hours for cold carcass weight (CCW). Mean live weight at slaughter was 31.1 kg with mean daily gain (MDG) of 0.164 kg. Mean HCW was 13.4 kg with a mean yield of 43.13% while mean CCW reached 12.8 kg. Since treatments did not affect variables, quality of concentrates was similar. Corn grains silages with sunflower grains and urea in lamb feed failed to affect the carcass’s quantitative variables and their use is recommended for concentrates.