EFFECT OF PARTIAL SUBSTITUTION OF CORN GRAINS BY DRIED SUGAR BEET PULB IN GROWING LAMBS' RATIONS ON THEIR PRODUCTIVE PERFORMANCE

Twenty one growing Salady lambs with an average live body weight of 25.8 kg
and about 6 months old were used to study the effect of partial substitution of corn
grains by dried sugar beet pulp on their growth performance. Dried beet pulp was
integrated into tambs' rations at levels of 50% and 75% of com grains on OM basis.
Lambs received one of the following experimental diets: 1) concentrate mixture 1 (CM
1) + berseem hay (BH). 2) CM 2 + BH. and 3) CM 3'" SH. Concentrate mixture was
red at 60% of OM required while 8H ad. Lib in all treatments. Three digestibility trials
using three lambs of each group were carried out to determine nutrients digestibility
and nutritive values of the experimental rations. Data obtained showed that dried
sugar beel pulp (DSSP) was higher in CF coruent tnan corn grains (19.88 vs. 4.59%)
and ash content (4.16 vs. 1.95%). While NFE and CP content of corn grains were
higher than that of DSBP (79.36 and 9.51 vs. 64.43 and 9.37% respectively). Apart
from CP and EE digeslibililies. the highest nutrients digestibIlity was recorded with
lambs red ration 2 followed by those fed rations 1 and 3. Crude protein digestibility of
ration 1 was the highest compared by those of rations 2 and 3. However, the
differences among rations were not Significant (P>0.05). The TON ot ration 3 was
SIgnificantly (P<0.05) lower than ration 2. There is no significant difference among
experimental ration regarding OCP%. OMI by lambs fed control ration was similar to
those fed ration 2 (1120 vs. 1127 gJ day respectively), While It was slightly higher than
that intake by lambs fed ration 3 (1120 vs. 1087 g/day). Average daily gain was
153.57, 160.71 and 164.23 gJ day for lambs fed rations 1,2 and 3, respectively. The
results showed that integration of DSBP into lambs' rations at 50 or 75% of corn grain
improved feed conversion expressed as kg OM, TON or OCP per kg gain. Feeding
costs were 4.92, 4.49 and 4.15 LEI kg gain for lambs fed rations 1. 2 and 3,
respectively.
From the data obtaIned here it can be concluded that dried sugar beet pulp
can be used as a good source of energy for growing lambs. It can be also used
successfully as a substitution of corn grains at replacement rates of 50 or 75% of com
grains dry mailer