Growth Performance and Average Daily Gain (ADG) in Post-weaning Crossbred Saanen Kids and Crossbred Barbados Blackbelly Lambs: A Comparative Analysis

Abstract

Abstract Live weight is the most common measurement to evaluate the growth performance of livestock for constructing their growth curve. The present study aims to measure the live weight and growth performance of post-weaning male and female crossbred Saanen kids and BBB lambs and to compare their ADG and FCR. Observations and recordings were conducted over as six-week period at UniSZA Pasir Akar Farm, involving a sample of ten crossbred Saanen kids and BBB lambs (n = 6 females, n = 4 males) respectively. The average live weight of crossbred Saanen males and females were the highest at week 5 with 19.1 ± 2.59 kg and 19.8 ± 3.49, respectively. The average live weight of crossbred BBB males and females also showed the highest at week 5 with 21.3 ± 4.6 kg and 21 ± 2.86 kg, respectively. The weeks' average live weight of both sex post-weaning crossbred BBB lambs was equally non-significant (p > 0.05). A substantial difference (P < 0.05) is observed in ADG values between female crossbred Saanen kids and BBB lambs. Lambs had 0.03 kg more ADG than kids. A significant difference (P < 0.05) exists in ADG between male Saanen kids and BBB lambs. Male lambs have 0.047 kg greater ADG than male kids. This finding suggests that breed, have influenced the growth performances, including average daily gain (ADG) and FCR, of both kids and lambs during their post-weaning phase.