Zineddine Esma* and Bereksi Reguig Karima
The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of the feeding level on the testicular and body weight growth of Ouled Djellal ram lambs. The study lasted 3 months (15 March to 15 June 2015) from post-weaning until prepubertal period at the Technical Institute Farms (ITELV) Lamtar of Sidi-bel-Abbes (Western Algeria). Twenty Ouled Djellal lambs of 3-4 months of age were weighed and alloted into two equal groups of Low (n=10) or High (n=10) nutrition plane. Each group received, in addition to a basal diet, 200 g and 400 g head-1day-1 respectively. Monthly measurements of live weight and testicular volume of lambs were recorded. During the trial, the High group showed a significant greater live weight compared to the low group. Whereas, the testicular growth was a gradual and linear increase according to the two groups (low and high) without significant differences. However, all measurements of testis, live weight and age were positively correlated with one another at both low and high groups during the trial. It was concluded that postweaning nutrition management had a strong influence on lamb live weight, which in turn was related to testicular growth and prepubertal period in Ouled Djellal ram lambs. The strategy foucussed feeding is necessary to optimise weight and tesicular growth of ram lambs replacements. Also, the nutrition management may be a useful tool to maximize productivity in flocks.
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