Use of different nitrogen sources in the fattening of yearling sheep

Abstract Four rations were formulated to be iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric and represent different nitrogen sources. These were cotton seed cake (CSC), sesame seed cake (SSC), groundnut cake (GNC) and sunflower seed cake (SFSC). The effect of the different nitrogen sources on rumen fermentation pattern, digestibility, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), BW changes and N retention was studied using 32 yearling desert rams. There were two experimental periods covering feeding trials where the BW changes were monitored over 12 weeks and digestibility trial where the animals were placed in metabolism cages for the determination of digestibility, rumen components, BUN and N retention. Average daily gain of 96.7, 87.5, 76.3, and 72.9 g per day for SFSC, SSC, CSC, and GNC, respectively, showed that SFSC had the best gain ( P P P P P