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The Effect of Pelleting Rations of Varied Quality on Feed Utilization by Lambs^{1, 2}

University of Illinois

Abstract

Three different rations were fed to 307 grade feeder lambs in six lots with two lots of lambs on each ration, one of the two being fed on meal and the other on pellets. The rations were: (a) alfalfa meal and ground yellow shelled corn; (b) timothy meal, ground yellow shelled corn, soybean oil meal, and molasses calculated to be approximately equal in total digestible nutrients and crude protein to the alfalfa meal and ground yellow shelled corn ration; and, (c) timothy meal and ground yellow shelled corn. The following conclusions are drawn:

1. Pelleting significantly increased average daily gains on the two rations using timothy meal as the roughage; no significant increase was shown for pelleting the ration using alfalfa meal as the roughage.
   
2. Pelleting increased feed consumption on rations using timothy as the roughage, but not on the ration using alfalfa as the roughage.
   
3. Feed required per hundred lb. of gain on lambs was lower for all rations fed in pelleted form. The greatest advantage occurred on the lowest quality ration.
   
4. A greater proportion of lambs fed a ration in pelleted form reached market at 56 days than similar lambs fed the same ration in meal form.
   
5. Higher carcass grades were obtained with pelleted feeds when timothy was the roughage, but there was little difference when alfalfa was the roughage.
   
6. Vaccination against enterotoxemia did not affect the rate of gains.
   

This trial indicated that pelleting alfalfa meal and corn was of slight value, hardly enough to warrant the cost of pelleting. The pelleting of rations containing timothy meal greatly increased economy as well as rate of gain. It is interesting to note that the two lots eating pelleted rations in which timothy was the roughage out-gained the control lots, 1 and 2, receiving alfalfa as a roughage indicating that lambs will make satisfactory gains on low quality roughages in self-fed rations if their daily feed consumption is adequate. The practical aspect of pelleting is the feasibility of using low quality roughages as a part of self-fed lamb fattening rations.

¹ Approved for publication by Illinois Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Feeds were processed by Illinois Farm Supply Company feed mill, Benton, Illinois, through courtesy of Mr. Tom King and Mr. Charles Taylor (plant manager).