Effect of improved nutrition and improved shelter on growth performance of Magra lambs in two lambing seasons under arid zone

Abstract

The present experiment was conducted in phased manner to observe the effect of improved nutrition and improved shelter either alone or in combination on growth performance in Magra lambs. In phase-I, fifteen days old Magra lambs (n=40) born in autumn-winter season were used for growth study in a randomized block design upto the six month of age (Season-1) at ARC-CSWRI and divided into four groups of 10 lambs in each group (T1-T4). In Phase-II, similar experiment was followed with the lambs born in spring-summer season (Season-II) Groups included T1-Sole grazing with traditional shelter (tree shade); T2-improved shelter (asbestos sheet-thatched roof/with curtains) with grazing; T3-improved nutrition and traditional shelter and T4- improved nutrition and improved shelter. There was diurnal variation in temperature and THI during the study period, which indicated that lambs were under thermal stress during various months of trial. Thermal stress reduced growth rate which might be improved, by amelioration of the negative effects of thermal stress by provision of improved nutrition and shelter either alone or in combination.