The Effect of Treating Barley Straw with Fungus (Trichoderma Harzianum) (1): on Growth and Some Carcasses Characteristics of Awassi Lambs

Abstract

S.N. Alwaeli, W.H. Al-Samaraee, M.J.H. Al-Tamemmy and Y.M. Al-Saadi.

This study was conducted at the farm of Ruminants Research Station / Office of Agricultural Research / Ministry of Agriculture / in Abu Ghraib – Baghdad. The experiment was continued for 60 days in addition to the adaptation period for 14 days to study the effect of treating barley straw with fungus (Trichoderma harzianum) (1): on growth and some carcasses characteristics of Awassi lambs. Ten Awassi lambs were used in this experiment average age is 8-9 months and her average weight is 38 ± 0.50 were divided randomly into two equal groups, and then put with individual pens. Lambs were fed individually on a unified concentrate diet (2.5% of body weight). While the roughages offered on ad libitum basis. Each group were fed on roughages (barley straw), as follows: 1. The First group was a control group fed on untreated barley straw. 2. The second group was fed on barley straw treated with Trichoderma harzianum at rate 0.1% (1 kg /tones). At the end of the experiment the lambs were prepared for slaughter and were fasted for a while 14 an hour before the slaughter, with the continued provision of water for itÙˆ and immediately before the slaughter, the lambs were weighed to stabilize the live weight before the slaughter, then they were slaughtered, and all weights of the carcass have been taken, and weights of major and minor parts. An analysis of the statistical data using the program of statistical analysis (SAS) and the experience was the use of (CRD). The results showed that different effects among treatments as follow: the fungi treatment (T2) significantly outperformed (P <0.05) in both the efficiency of food conversion, daily gain weight (g / day), total gain weight (g / day) and the total weight increase (kg / day) which amounted to (13.75, 131.55 and 7.37 respectively) compared to the control treatment (T1) Which amounted to (17.29, 94.64 and 5.30 respectively), and indicate a significant increase (P <0.05( in the dressing percentage based on live weight of (T2( Compared to the control treatment (T2) that amounted (50,47 and 45.59 respectively), shows a significant increase (P <0.05) in proportion of shoulder piece in (T2) compared to (T1) That amounted (20.40 and 15.26 respectively), while a significant decrease (P <0.05) in the proportion of a loin piece in (T1) compared to (T2), as for the effect of the treatment on the proportion of the minor pieces, shows a significant decrease (P <0.05) in the proportions of fore shank, flank, and the total proportion of the minor pieces in the (T2(, recorded (4. 29Ùˆ 2. 61 and 26. 44 respectively) compared to (T1) )8. 46, 4. 81 and 30. 42 respectively), That amounted (9. 48 and 7. 70 respectively), while there are no significant differences in the rest of the traits.