Effects of Different Rearing Systems at Suckling Period on Fattening Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Awassi Male Lambs

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different rearing systems on fattening performance and carcass characteristics of Awassi male lambs. The study was carried out at the Southeastern Anatolia Agricultural Research Institute in Diyarbakır in 2006. Twenty six Awassi male lambs that were randomly allocated into 3 groups were exposed to 3 different rearing systems (G-I, G-II and G-III) at suckling period. The lambs in G-I were kept only ad libitum milk suckling while the lambs in G-II were fed with creep ration and alfalfa hay in addition to ad libitum milk suckling. The lambs in G-III were allowed to suckle remnant milk from their mothers after morning and evening milking in addition to creep ration and alfalfa hay. All lambs were weaned at 2.5 months of age and then fattened with creep ration and lentil straw for 60 days. Different rearing systems at suckling period did not affect live weights of lambs at weaning age (P 0.05) and live weights of lambs at the end of fattening period (P 0.05). The mean live weight of lambs at the end of fattening period (G-I, G-II, G-III) were found to be 33.94, 35.34 and 38.47 kg and the mean dressing percentage were 48.64%, 50.69% and 50.08%, respectively. The mean daily weight gain were 0.260, 0.256, and 0.290 kg and the mean feed conversion ratio were 5.099, 4.976 and 4.847 kg, respectively (P 0.05).