Growth performance and economics of pre-weaner lambs fed gelatinized and non-gelatinized milk replacer.

Influence of milk replacer feeding to lambs was assessed on pre-weaning growth and nutrient utilization. Seven day old Malpura lambs (45) were divided into three groups of fifteen lambs in each group and were fed ad lib. creep mixture and roughage (C-0; Control) along with free suckling of dam. Unlike control (C-0), the lambs in two treatment groups were additionally fed with gelatinized (MR-G) and non-gelatinized (MR-Ng) milk replacer with limited suckling from their dam, which were manually milked once in the afternoon (4.00 PM). The MR was fed at 100 ml/lamb/day for first fifteen days and thereafter at 250 ml/lamb/day. The experimental feeding including a digestibility trial was continued until weaning at 3 months of age. Weaning weight, total gain and ADG was higher in MR-G compared to MR-Ng and control and there was 15.25% improvement in MR-G than the control. A lower value of FCR indicated 10.5% improvement in MR-G than the control. The plane of nutrition and digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, hemicellulose was similar in all the three groups. The total milk collected/ewe in MR-G and MR-Ng group was 9.0 kg each that fetched ₹ 360 and it reduced the production cost to ₹ 51.0 in MR-G, 53.1 in MRNg compared to ₹ 68.1 in C-0. One time milking of ewes and replenishment with additional milk replacer to lambs promises higher gain and introduction of the gelatinization procedure ensures further improvement in FCR and ease in delivery to lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]