Indian Journal of Animal Research

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Indian Journal of Animal Research, volume 59 issue 3 (march 2025) : 451-456

Sheep Breed Variations: Effects on Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility

Gamaleldin M. Suliman1, Saeid M. Basmaeil1, Ahmed M. El-Waziry2, Fahad S. Al-Harbi1, Abdullah N. Al-Owaimer1, Ibrahim A. Alhidary1,*
  • https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9865-1589, https://orcid.org/0009-0001-9488-8068, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3290-5296, https://orcid.org/0009-0000-2650-1477, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4646-6124, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2547-4395
1Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, 11451 Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
2Department of Animal and Fish Production, Faculty of Agriculture (El-Shatby), Alexandria University, P.O. Box 21545, Alexandria, Egypt.
Cite article:- Suliman M. Gamaleldin, Basmaeil M. Saeid, El-Waziry M. Ahmed, Al-Harbi S. Fahad, Al-Owaimer N. Abdullah, Alhidary A. Ibrahim (2025). Sheep Breed Variations: Effects on Growth Performance and Nutrient Digestibility . Indian Journal of Animal Research. 59(3): 451-456. doi: 10.18805/IJAR.BF-1967.

ABSTRACT

Background: In Saudi Arabia, sheep are the majority of the livestock population, although it imported by large numbers to meet their people demands. The shortage between production and consumption in order to reduce the import proportions of sheep meat is our aim in this study through the evaluation effect of Saudi sheep breeds on feed intake, growth performance, digestibility and nitrogen utilization.

Methods: Forty-five intact male sheep, comprising the Awassi, Harri and Najdi breeds (approximately 23.4±2 kg), were used in this research. Three breed sheep groups, each consisting of 15 animals, were established. At the end of the 12-week growth period, five animals from each group were selected for digestibility and nitrogen balance trials. 

Result: The results indicated that sheep breed significantly (p<0.05) affected final live weight, average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. However, there was no significant effect (p>0.05) of breed on the digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extract, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber. Similarly, no significant differences were observed between breeds in terms of digestible organic matter, digestible crude protein, total digestible nutrients and nitrogen retention. In conclusion, the sheep breeds influenced average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio, with the Awassi breed demonstrating the best performance regarding average daily gain and feed conversion ratio.

INTRODUCTION

Cattle, camels, sheep and goats are the primary livestock species producing red meat in Saudi Arabia, with estimated populations of 354,276 cattle, 471,704 camels, 9,055,438 sheep and 3,563,017 goats (GASTAT, 2021). Notably, sheep make up approximately 72% of the livestock population. Despite this substantial number, Saudi Arabia imports significant quantities of sheep to meet domestic demand (BMI,  2013).

Evaluating the potential of Saudi sheep breeds in terms of growth performance and nutrient digestibility efficiency could significantly enhance productivity, leading to improved satisfaction in the livestock sector. Understanding the growth performance of different sheep breeds enables farmers to select those that convert feed into body mass more efficiently, which can increase meat production overall (Jaapar et al., 2023). Moreover, assessing nutrient digestibility helps in formulating diets that maximize the utilization of available feed resources (Barman et al., 2023). By identifying breeds that digest nutrients more effectively, farmers can tailor feeding strategies to boost growth rates and feed efficiency (Roba et al., 2022). Additionally, evaluating nutrient digestibility can contribute to more sustainable livestock production systems by optimizing feed use and reducing waste, thereby minimizing the environmental impact of sheep farming (Roba et al., 2022). Moreover, evaluating the feeding practices of farmers and those managing livestock projects is crucial for optimizing overall costs and promoting environmental conservation (Al-Mutairi​ et al., 2025).

Numerous studies (Samara et al., 2013; Abdoun et al., 2014; EI-Waziry et al., 2015) have indicated that digestion, daily weight gain and growth rates vary among breeds. Despite the prominence of the Awassi, Harri and Najdi breeds in Saudi Arabia-favored by the local population (Suliman et al., 2021) there is limited information regarding their performance and efficiency of nutrient’s utilization. Furthermore, recent studies comparing these breeds in terms of digestion, performance and nutrient digestibility are lacking. Consequently, this study was conducted to investigate the effects of sheep breeds on growth performance, digestibility coefficients, nutritional values and nitrogen utilization.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Animals, Nutrition and Ethics
 
The experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (24.8051°N, 46.5203°E) during the period from February to August 2021. Three Saudi sheep breeds; Awassi, Harri and Najdi were utilized. A total of 45 intact male lambs (15 from each breed) were included in the study, with an average age of 2.8 ± 2 months and an average weight of 23.4 ± 2.5 kg. Before the growth trial commenced, the lambs were ear-tagged, treated for internal and external parasites and housed in shaded pens equipped with feeding and watering troughs. The feeding period lasted for 12 weeks, preceded by a two-week adaptation period. All lambs were kept under the same environmental conditions. They were fed ad libitum an iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric pelleted diet formulated to meet their nutrient requirements (NRC, 2007). The feed ingredients and chemical composition are presented in Table 1. Drinking water and salt licks were continuously available. The experiment adhered to the guidelines for animal research and was approved by the Research Ethics Committee; Reference No. (KSU-SE-20-17).

Table 1: Ingredients and chemical composition of experimental diet.


 
Experimental design and growth performance indicators
 
The experimental animals were distributed evenly into three groups in a complete randomized block design. During the feeding period all growth performance parameters were recorded. These included initial and final live weights, average daily gain, average daily feed intake and feed conversion ratio. The body weight and feed intake were measured weekly for each growing lamb over the growth period, following a 10-hour feed deprivation before each measurement. Weights were recorded using a digital scale to determine daily weight gain, calculated by taking the difference between final and initial weights and dividing by the number of days. Additionally, the feed conversion ratio was determined by dividing daily feed intake by daily weight gain. This methodology provided a thorough evaluation of the lambs’ growth performance and feed efficiency throughout the study.
 
Digestibility and nitrogen balance trials
 
At the end of the growth period, five animals from each group were selected for digestibility and nitrogen balance trials. The animals were housed individually in separate pens and equipped for total fecal and urine collection. Throughout the collection period, which lasted in 10 days, precise records of individual feed intake were maintained. Total fecal and urinary excretions were collected daily. Additionally, 10% subsamples of both feces and urine were taken each day and stored at -18°C for further analysis.
 
Chemical analysis
 
The experimental diet and feces were analyzed according to AOAC (2007) for dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE) and ash content. Nitrogen-free extract (NFE) was calculated by difference using the formula:
 
NFE= Dry Matter-(CP+EE+CF+Ash)
 
Nitrogen content in urine was determined using the method outlined by AOAC (2007). Additionally, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were measured according to the techniques described by Van Soest et al., (1991).
 
Statistical analysis
 
The data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) in SPSS® software (version 21). Mean separation was performed using Duncan’s multiple range test (1955). Statistical significance was determined at a probability value of p<0.05.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Growth performance trials
 
The three sheep breeds (Awassi, Harri and Najdi) were used in this study and distributed into three groups. All animal started the experimental period of growth that extend for 84 days with mean average of initial live weight (ILW) about 24.56 kg (Table 2, Fig 1). The final live weight was ranged on average between 44.51 and 50.52 kg. Average total feed intake (ADI), average total gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were shown in Table 2 and Fig 1. The values were ranged between 118.3 and 141.8 kg for ADI; 19.81 and 26.21 kg for ADG and 5.42 and 6.01 for FCR.

Table 2: Growth performance of the three breeds of sheep fed the experimental diet1.



Fig 1: Effect of Experimental diet on live body weight of breeds lambs.



Digestibility and nitrogen balance trials
 
Dry matter intake, digestibility coefficients and nutritive values of the experimental diet fed to the three breeds of sheep are presented in Table 3. The lowest value of DMI was recorded with Harri followed by Najdi and Awassi and the values were 1186.3, 1783.7 and 1808.9 g/day for Harri, Najdi and Awassi, respectively. The digestibility coefficients of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) are shown in Table (3).The values were on average from 60.87 to 64.69% for DM; 65.19 to 69.10% for OM; 52.42 to 56.22% for CP; 86.13 to 89.97% for EE; 40.16 to 46.52% for CF; 73.30 to 76.93% NFE; 54.65 to 60.79% for NDF and 41.66 to 47.04% for ADF.

Table 3: Dry matter intake, digestibility coefficients and nutritive values of the experimental diet fed to the three breeds of sheep1.



Nitrogen utilization of three breeds of sheep fed the experimental diet is shown in Table 4. The values of nitrogen intake were 25.11, 37.76 and 38.29 g/day for Harri, Najdi and Awassi breeds, respectively. The values of absorbed nitrogen were 14.07, 19.82 and 20.45 g/day for Harri, Najdi and Awassi breeds, respectively. The values of nitrogen retention were 5.61, 7.98 and 7.98 g/day for Harri, Najdi and Awassi breeds, respectively.

Table 4: Nitrogen (N) utilization of the three breeds of sheep fed the experimental diet1.



The ILW between the group animals did not differ significantly (p>0.05). There were significant differences among the groups with the final live weight (FLW). The highest (p<0.05) FLW was recorded with Awassi breed followed by Najdi then Harri (Table 2, Fig 1). Average daily feed intake (ADI), average daily gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly (p< 0.05) different among the group breeds (Table 2). The Awassi sheep breed attained the highest (p<0.05) ADI followed by Najdi and Harri, respectively. The best (p<0.05) ADG and FCR was reported with Awassi sheep contrasted to the other two sheep breeds (Table 2) and this agrees with the report of Hassanin et al. (2013). The greater FLW of Awassi sheep is ascribed to ADG and FCR over Najdi and Harri breeds, where this agrees with the results of Aller et al., (2012) and Kridi et al., (2006). The Harri breed had the lowest (p<0.05) values of final weight, total gain, average daily feed intake, average daily gain during 84 days (Table 2) compared to Awassi and Najdi breeds and this was attributed to the less amount of DMI consumed by Harri breed (Suliman et al., 2021). The significant difference between Awassi and Najdi in final weight, total gain, average daily intake and average daily gain during 84 days was not detected (p >0.05) and this may due to the similar amount of average daily feed intake consumed by them (Suliman et al., 2021). Therefore, the best feed conversion ratio was recorded by Awassi followed by Najdi and Harri (Table 2). Conclusively, the discrepancies in FBW can be ascribed to the effect of the breed; besides effects of DMI and body fat. Several studies have indicated that breed is one of the primary factors affecting FBW (NRC, 2007; AOAC, 2007; BMIIR, 2021; Al-Owaimer et al., 2014; Wilhelm et al., 2010; Culler et al., 1978; Ayele et al., 2019).

For digestibility and nitrogen balance trials, there was significant (p<0.05) difference between Harri breed compared to Awassi and Najdi breeds in dry matter intake (DMI). There was no significant (p> 0.05) difference between Najdi and Awassi in DMI. These results were parallel with the results of DMI in the growing trail in the present study.  There were no significant (p>0.05) differences among the three breeds of sheep of digestibility coefficients in dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), nitrogen free extract (NFE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) (Table 3). The three breeds of sheep had no effect (p>0.05) in digestible organic matter (DOM), digestible of crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN). The present results indicated that the larger DMI depresses the nutrient digestibility and this agrees with NRC (2001). Potts et al. (2017) reported that greater intake depresses nutrient digestibility and can expect that residuals feed intake will be negatively correlated with digestibility. A major factor influencing nutrient utilization in dairy cattle is the relationship between feed intake and diet digestibility (Colucci et al., 1982). Thus, the Harri sheep breed had a numerical impact on dry matter intake (DMI), which influenced nutrient digestibility, aligning with the findings of NRC (2001); Potts (2017); Colucci (1982). The lowest value of nitrogen intake was recorded (p<0.05) with Harri breed compared to other two breeds; this is attributed to the less amount of DMI consumed by animals. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference between Awassi and Najdi in nitrogen intake. There was no significant (p>0.05) difference in nitrogen retention among the three breeds, although Harri breed had the low value of nitrogen intake as mentioned, this due to the lowest value which excreted nitrogen in fecal by Harri breed compared to Awassi and Najdi breeds (Table 4).

CONCLUSION

The present study concluded that the sheep breed affected average daily feed intake, average daily gain and feed conversion ratio. Awassi breed showed the best of average daily gain and feed conversion ratio followed by Najdi and Harri breeds. Harri breed had the lowest average daily gain and feed conversion. The breed of sheep had no effect on digestibility coefficients and nitrogen retention although Harri sheep breed affected numerically dry matter intake and hence the nutrient digestibility nitrogen retention. Therefore, more studies will be needed to achieve for evaluating the three sheep breeds under study considering their performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality to confirm which of them gain higher standing among consumers.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This project was funded by the National Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation (MAARIFFAH), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Award Number (13-AGR956).
 
Ethical approval
 
The experiment followed the guidelines for animal research and received approval from the Research Ethics Committee, Reference No. (KSU-SE-20-17).
 
Informed consent
 
NA.

CONFLICT OF INTEREST

The authors state that there are no conflicts of interest related to this article’s publication. Additionally, no funding or sponsorship affected the study’s design, data collection, analysis, publication decision, or manuscript preparation.

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