Effect of feeding frequency on non-carcass components and wholesale cuts of Iranian fat-tailed lambs.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding frequency on non-carcass components and wholesale cuts in fat-tailed ram lambs of the Varaminni breed (n = 30, BW = 30.6 +/- 3.47 kg). Animals were assigned to three experimental groups according to their initial live body weights in a completely randomized design. The lambs in three groups fed with a TMR ration based on live body weight. First group (control) fed one daily, second group (treatment) fed twice times daily and third treatment fed four times per day. Live body weights recorded at 21 days intervals. Moreover, four lambs from each group were slaughtered and carcass characteristics were measured. Final BW, total BW gain and ADG did not differ (p > 0.05). Tail fat content were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in control than those in experimental group. The other carcass characteristics were not significantly different in control with experimental groups. It was concluded that increase of feeding frequency in varaminni ram lambs (fat tailed lambs) resulted in decreased fat reservoirs thus may be beneficial for improving meet production and decrease in fat content of tail.