Performance of Barbados blackbelly lambs reared in confinement and implications for commercial lamb production in Barbados
1988
Hunte, M.D. (Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries, Bridgetown (Barbados))
Recent studies have shown that full-fed Barbados Blackbelly lambs are capable of making acceptable gains in confinement. This fact has generated tremendous interest in the production and marketing of carcasses fattened in this way. Indeed, the number of supermarkets offering fresh unfrozen cuts of full-fed Barbados Blackbelly lamb has at least doubled since 1985. This study recorded average daily gains of 0.24kg. and 0.19kg per day for ram and ewe lambs respectively at 150 days, decreasing to 0.19kg. and 0.16kg. per day at 240 days. However the high cost of concentrate feeds may be a serious constraint to any expansion in commercial lamb production. The need to develop production systems aimed at reducing the cost of weaner lambs has also been suggested as a means of increasing profit margins.
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