Impact of Incorporating Cactus, Argan, and Carob By-Products into Sheep Diets on Milk Quality and Lamb Growth

Abstract

This study set out to examine how feeding local ewes a diet including cactus fruit waste, or “cactus silage,” affected their milk production and quality as well as how well their lambs did while nursing. On a farm, researchers studied the feeding habits of the Sardi breed, a native sheep species. The animals were divided into two groups; one was given a standard diet (CD) and the other cactus silage (SD). We The milk production was tracked every day and the milk composition features were analyzed every week. There was a 14.8% increase in milk yield, with the SD diet producing an average of 31.15 kg and the CD diet 27.14 kg. A significantly significant difference (p<0.05) in SD was seen in the average daily gain (ADG) of lambs during the lactation period when contrasted with the CD lot. In contrast to the CD lot 154 g/d ADG, the SD lot was 199 g/d. With the exception of fat content, which shown more variability for both treatments (p<0.05), the treatments did not impact the density, freezing point, or protein levels of the milk samples. There was significant fluctuation in the physicochemical properties of ewe’s milk over the weeks of lactation, with values ranging from very high (p < 0.001) to very high (p<0.01). Cactus silage (SD) may be a good alternative to the conventional feed for female sheep, according to the research, since it has no discernible negative impact on their productivity. Cactus silage is a cost-effective alternative to other feeds for sheep in arid regions, thus it is reasonable to consider it.