Weight gain, feed conversion and efficiency in sheep fed with parota tree (Enterolobium cyclocarpum) fruit (seed and pod) and poultry manure

Abstract

THIS EXPERIMENT WAS CARRIED OUT AT THE SAN LUIS ACATLAN MUNICIPALITY, NEAR THE COAST OF THE STATE OF GUERRERO, MEXICO, UNDER AWO CLIMATE CONDITIONS, AT 250 M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, 26°C TEMPERATURE AND 600 CUBIC CENTIMETERS OF ANNUAL RAINFALL. WEIGHT GAIN, FEED CONVERSION AND FEED EFFICIENCY IN PELIBUEY EWES WERE USED TO MEASURE EFFECTS OF: 30% "PAROTA" (ENTEROLOBIUM CYCLOCARPUM) FRUIT (SEED AND POD); 30% CHICKEN MANURE; AND 15% PAROTA FRUIT PLUS 15% CHICKEN MANURE RATIONS FED AD LIBITUM. THE REMAINDER OF THE FEED RATIONS WERE COMPLETED BY 70% GRAIN CORN AND UP TO 20% CORN STOVER. CROSSED LATIN SQUARE STATISTICAL ANALYSIS FOR THE THREE TREATMENTS AND NINE REPETITIONS WERE USED. THE EXPERIMENT LASTED 75 DAYS, DIVIDED IN THREE PERIODS OF 25 DAYS EACH AND A 15 DAY ADAPTATION PERIOD BETWEEN EACH. RESULTS OBTAINED WERE AS FOLLOWS: TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN, 86.0, 74.0 AND 111.1 KG; FEED CONVERSION, 7.47, 10.35 AND 7.97 KG; FEED EFFICIENCY 147, 120 AND 144 G FOR EACH OF THE FEED RATIONS, RESPECTIVELY. NO STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCES (P > 0.05) WERE FOUND. RESULTS OF THIS STUDY INDICATE THAT 30% PAROTA FRUIT, 30% CHICKEN MANURE AND A COMBINATION OF BOTH IN THE FEED RATION, FED TO PELIBUEY EWES, DOES NOT DECREASE FEED EFFICIENCY PARAMETERS.