Abstract :
The present study was conducted to evaluate nutrient digestibility of water melon (Citrullus lanatus) seed cake as a possible protein supplement for growing Iamb in comparison to groundnut cake. Graded proportion of water melon seed cake (WMSC) (0, 25, 50, 75, 100%) which replace groundnut cake (GNC) were in orporated in five diets iso-caloric, iso-nitrogenous diet for lamb. Diet A contained 0% proportion of WMSC, diet B, C, D and E contained 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% WMSC proportions respectively. Fifteen desert lambs were used in a digestibility trial for five days. Digestibility coefficient of dry matter, protein and crude fibre differ significantly (P < 0.05, P < 0.05 and P < 0.001) among the treatment groups respectively. No significant difference was observed for digestibility coefficients of organic matter and ether extract. Dietary treatments affected significantly (P <0.05, P < 0.01 and P <0.05) digestible crude protein, digestible crude fibre and digestible ether extract respectively content, while group E had the lowest fat content and highest moisture content. Fat content was decrease with increasing level of WMSC inclusion in the diet, while moisture^ content increase with it increasing level. Digestibility coefficients of nutrients, digestible nutrients and total digestible nutrients were tended to be similar to that of GNC diets.
