Performance and carcass characteristics in fattening lambs feed diets with different levels of pistachio by-products silage with wasted date

• Published in: Small ruminant research 2016-04, Vol.137, p.177-182
• Main Authors: SoltaniNezhad, B., Dayani, O., Khezri, A., Tahmasbi, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carcass characteristics; Fattening lambs; Pistachio by product silage; Wasted date
• ISSN: 0921-4488; 1879-0941
• DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2016.03.015

•Pistachio by-product (PBP) was ensiled with wasted date and used in lambs diet.•Ensiling PBP with wasted date decreased total tannins and phenolic compounds.•Adding pistachio by-products silage with wasted date (PBSWD) in diet increased DMI.•Feeding 21% PBSWD increased performance of fattening lambs.•PBSWD can be used up to 21% as a proper alternative feed in lambs diet. Forty Kermani fattening male lambs (21±1.4kg body weight (BW) and six months old) were assigned to a completely randomized design to determine the effects of feeding pistachio by-products silage with wasted date (PBSWD) on dry matter intake (DMI), live weight gain, feed conversion and carcass characteristics. Two thousand kg of fresh pistachio by-products (PBP) were mixed thoroughly with 400kg Mazafati wasted date and ensiled for 2 months. Experimental diets were: (1) control (without PBSWD); (2) diet containing 7% PBSWD; (3) diet containing 14% PBSWD and (4) diet containing 21% PBSWD. All diets were formulated to contain 60% concentrate and 40% forage (dry matter (DM) basis). The lambs were divided into four equal groups and fed the diets for a 90-day experimental period. At the end of the experiment, all animals were slaughtered on the same day. Ensiling of PBP with wasted date increased the DM and metabolisable energy (ME), but decreased (P