Effects of feeding of different levels of dried deoiled Satureja khuzestanica on fattening performance of Farahani lambs

An experiment was carried out to investigate the possible effects of inclusion of dried de-oiled Savory (Satureja khuzestanica) on production performance, nutrients intake and apparent total tract digestibility of nutrients of finishing lambs. Thirty Farhani lambs with average body weight of 33.6±1.4 kg were used. The lambs were randomly divided into five groups and individually fed with the experimental diets. In the experimental diets, alfalfa was replaced by dried de-oiled Savory at the levels of 0 (control diet), 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent. The lambs were finished for 60 days with a 15-day adaptation period. During the finishing periods the lambs were weighed individually every 15 days and average daily gain, average feed consumption and feed conversion ratio were determined. At the end of experiment, the lambs were slaughtered and their carcass weights and carcass efficiency were determined. The results of current study showed that the experimental diets had no effect on production parameters of lambs assessed (P>0.05). Dietary treatments did not have any significant effect on dry matter and nutrients intake (P>0.05). Compared to control group, replacement of alfalfa with dried de-oiled Savory at the level of 75 percent significantly increased theoretical mature body weight of lambs (P<0.05). The lag time (time at which accelerated growth turns into decelerated growth) was significantly higher in the lambs fed diet in which alfalfa was replaced by dried de-oiled Savory at the level of 75 percent than those fed the other diets (P<0.05). It is concluded that alfalfa can be fully replaced by dried de-oiled Satureja khuzestanica in high concentrate lamb’s finishing diets without showing any adverse effect on production performance of lambs.