The Effect of Different Levels of Raw and Soaked Bitter Vetch (Vicia Ervilia) on Fattening Performance of Lori Lambs

Abstract

This study was done in one of the semi-industrial sheep business in Doroud city to evaluate the effect of raw and soaked Bitter Vetch (Vicia ervilia) seed consumption on growth and carcass characteristics of fattening lambs on 49 weaned Lori ram lambs, with an average initial weight of 23 ± 0.75 kg and in the form of a completely randomized design with 7 treatments including control treatments and different levels of raw and soaked Bitter Vetch (15, 21, 27% of diet) by replacing soybean meal for 105 days. Diets were similar in terms of energy and protein. Growth characteristics such as daily weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion and carcass characteristics including lean meat, fat and bone breakdown in the body parts were examined and recorded. Obtained information was recorded in Foxpro database and was analyzed by SAS software and GLM method. The independent means compare plan (orthogonal) was used to achieve the presence or absence of a difference between the use of raw and soaked Bitter Vetch and Duncan test was used to compare the treatments. The test results showed that the average weight and characteristics’ percentage like carcass loss, hot carcass, cold carcass, final live weight, lean meat, bone, fat, subcutaneous fat, inter-muscle fat, carcass yield, and LDM muscle area in control treatment (Soybean Meal) showed no significant difference in relation to treatments containing dried and soaked bitter vetch with 15% and 21% levels but compared to the 27% dried and soaked bitter vetch showed significant gain. The amount of visceral fat lambs of control group was significantly higher than other treatments. The weight of liver, kidneys and spleen in lambs fed with diets containing bitter vetch was significantly higher compared to control treatment but the weight of heart and lungs in lambs that are fed in control treatment was not significantly different from other treatments. The comparison of orthogonal of the effects of using dried bitter vetch compared to soaked bitter vetch showed no significant difference. Growth performance of lambs in the group containing 27% dried and soaked bitter vetch compared to other levels of bitter vetch and control diet showed significant reduction. These results suggest that bitter vetch can be used as a protein supplement up to 21% of the total diet without negative effects on growth performance of lambs.