Productivity of Desert lambs as effected by Nutrition in North Kordofan State, Sudan

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate the influence of supplementation during mating, late pregnancy and pre-lambing period performance of Desert lambs under an extensive tropical management in North Kordofan State, Sudan. Eighty eight (88) lambs were used in this experiment. The lambs born belong to ewes supplemented with concentrate ration and un-supplemented with concentrate ration. Lambs were divided into four groups A, B, C and D. Group A, B and C were assigned to supplementary feeding treatments 1, 2 and 3 respectively same as rations given to their mothers. Group D as a control (un supplemented with any diet depend on pasture only as practice by farmers). Supplementation (ration 1, 2 and 3) was offered at evening with 150 g / head/day increase to 250g / head /day. The results indicated that supplementation to desert ewes significantly (p < 0.05) effected birth weight where supplemented ewes recorded higher lambs weights as 2.32, 2.11 and 2.02 kg for group A, B and C respectively as compared with group D with 1.80 kg. Group A, B and C were scored significantly (p < 0.05) highest growth rate from birth till 90 days of birth, with best final weight mentioned in group A and B as 11.46±0.19 and 10.70±0.20 kg. Also daily weight gain was exerted significant (p<0.01) effected by supplementation, recorded as 102.62 ± 1.29, 95.35 ± 1.37, 74.44 ± 1.46 and 65.95 ± 1.73 g/day for A, B, C and D groups respectively.The supplementary feeding significantly (p < 0.05) affected lambs weaning weight, high weaning weight in supplemented groups as 11.46, 10.70 and 8.82 kg for A, B and C respectively as compared with low weight in group D as 7.86 kg. The effect of supplementary feeding was exerted significant (p