Faraz, Asim , Waheed, Abdul , Ishaq, Hafiz Muhammad , Nabeel, Muhammad Shahid
2021-08-01 PAKISTAN JOURNAL OF ZOOLOGY 2021 53(卷), 4(期), (1441-1447页)
Marecha camel has good potential for commercial camel farming and it could be the source for future food production especially in arid and semi-arid areas of Pakistan. Research work on production potential of Marecha camel is scanty. In the current study, 10 male Marecha calves (Camelus dromedarius) around 300 +/- 30 days of age were weaned at 9 months age and used in 90 days trial to study their growth rate. Calves were raised in two groups with 5 each under stall-fed conditions (intensive management system, IMS). They were offered roughage+concentrate at the ratio of 60:40. In 60 proportions the ratio between fodder (lucerne) and crop residues (gram crop residues) was 70:30. They were fed two isocaloric diets with different protein levels viz: one group with 18% CP and other group with 22% CP. Daily feeding allowance (@ 3% body weight) was calculated and adjusted according to fortnightly live weights. Water was provided twice a day. Daily weight gain was 953 +/- 50 and 996 +/- 40 g/d with 18% and 22% levels of protein ration, respectively while average DMI of concentrate, fodder and crop residues was 2.93 +/- 0.15, 3.00 +/- 0.16 and 1.31 +/- 0.08; 2.94 +/- 0.07, 3.03 +/- 0.07 and 1.31 +/- 0.03 kg/d, respectively with 18% and 22% levels of protein rations. These findings did not differ significantly (P>0.05). The calves gained 85.8 and 89.6 kg over 90 days with feed efficiency of 7.08 and 6.83 fed 18% and 22% levels of protein ration, respectively. The mean values of body condition scoring (BCS) and back fat layer measurement (BFLM) in five male camel calves of different weights, fed 18% and 22% CP ration were 4.4 +/- 0.9, 4.8 +/- 0.4 and 4.6 +/- 0.5, 4.9 +/- 0.3, respectively. The results indicated that weaning was more economical and resulted in savings of PKR 16,137 and 15,213 in calve groups fed with 18% and 22% levels of protein, respectively.