Effects of Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles on Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Lamb

Abstract

The effect of including two levels of dried distillers grains plus solubles (DDGS) in formulated diet on performance, and carcass characteristics of lambs was studied. Twenty-four Gulf Coast wether lambs (46.1 ± 1.2 kg initial BW, and 8 to 9 months of age) were divided into two groups based on their live body weight and randomly allocated to dietary treatments (2 per treatment; 4 lambs/pen; 8 lambs per treatment). Treatment diets containing DDGS at 0 (control), 12.7, or 25.4% on a DM basis were fed lambs. Basal diet contained dry-rolled corn, soybean meal, and fescue/bermuda grass hay. Dry Distillers grains with solubles was added to the finishing diets at either 12.7or 25.4% of the dietary DM to replace corn and SBM in basal diet. The concentrate mixes containing DDGS were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric to meet the NRC requirements of lamb. After 135-d feeding period final BW was recorded, then animals were slaughtered, and carcass parameters collected after a 48-h postmortem. Lamb performance and carcass quality data were analyzed using the GLM procedures. Dry matter intake and final BW of lambs were not different between treatment. Also, no differences were observed between treatments in hot and cold carcass wt, body wall fat, rib eye area, 12th rib fat, and kidney and pelvic fat depots. However a significant decrease (P ≤ 0.05) in average daily gain was found in lambs fed 0% DDGS diet compared to those fed 12.7 and 25.4% DDGS diets. These results supported the hypothesis that substitute of corn and SBM by up to 25.4% DDGS can be fed to lamb without adverse effect on carcass characteristics.