Estimating carcass yield of lambs fed with silage of Cenchrus purpureus in a mix with Tithonia diversifolia

Abstract

Small ruminant production is currently booming due to its ease of management and contribution to strengthening the food security of rural communities. In this experiment, it was evaluated the effect of feeding with Cenchrus purpureus silages in a mixture with Tithonia diversifolia on the carcass yield and bromatological quality of lambs, with an average weight of 23 kg, fed with silages (treatments): T1 C. purpureus in 100 % and T2 C. purpureus/T. diversifolia in proportion of 67/33 %, respectively. The silages were supplied for 61 days, with an energy supplement of rice flour (277 g/animal), mineralized salt, and water ad libitum. Carcass yield and food consumption were evaluated. The data was analyzed in a totally randomized design with five repetitions; an ANOVA was made and for the comparison of means, the Fisher LSD test was used. The average daily consumption of dry matter was better for T2 showing statistical differences (p <0.0001), the characteristics of the carcass in this treatment were also better; significant differences were found in the nutritional value of the meat, showing better values in T2, for protein, humidity and for the colorimetric variables, because T1, exhibited darker meat, coinciding with the highest pH values (6.15). It is concluded that the C. purpureus silage diet in mixture with T. diversifolia, contributes to the improvement of the quality of the carcass.