Table 2. The effects of different dietary C: F ratios on the growth performance of Tibetan sheep.
| Items | Groupsa | p-value | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HS1 | HS2 | HS3 | HS4 | HS5 | ||
| Initial BW (kg) | 21.31 ± 0.92 | 22.13 ± 3.06 | 21.25 ± 1.69 | 19.88 ± 1.1.81 | 22.19 ± 2.34 | 0.196 |
| Final BW(kg) | 23.81 ± 1.25d | 26.44 ± 3.07cd | 28.38 ± 2.23bc | 29.75 ± 2.62b | 32.94 ± 3.49a | <0.01 |
| BW gain (kg) | 2.50 ± 0.76d | 4.31 ± 1.92c | 7.13 ± 1.71b | 9.88 ± 1.43a | 10.75 ± 1.79a | <0.01 |
| Gain rate (%) | 11.73 ± 3.50d | 19.93 ± 6.54c | 33.78 ± 8.63b | 49.98 ± 7.13a | 48.59 ± 7.56a | <0.01 |
| ADG (g/d) | 31.25 ± 9.45d | 53.91 ± 12.91c | 89.06 ± 21.33b | 123.44 ± 17.91a | 134.38 ± 22.41a | <0.01 |
| DMI (g/d | 670.30 ± 45.26c | 719.16 ± 120.09bc | 741.21 ± 71.22abc | 807.68 ± 32.29ab | 851.93 ± 98.86a | <0.01 |
| DM consume (kg) | 53.62 ± 3.62c | 57.53 ± 8.98bc | 59.30 ± 5.70bc | 64.61 ± 4.98ab | 68.15 ± 7.91a | <0.01 |
| FCR | 23.86 ± 9.75a | 13.94 ± 3.38b | 8.92 ± 3.06c | 6.67 ± 1.15c | 6.44 ± 1.00c | <0.01 |
Notes.
a
The treatments HS1, HS2, HS3, HS4 and HS5 refer to concentrate-to-forage ratios of 0:100,15:85, 30:70, 45:55 and 60:40. DMI, dry matter intake; DM consume, DMI ± t, t is experimental time (d), BW, body weight; ADG, average daily BW gain. FCR, feed conversion ratio. Values in the same row with different superscripts are significantly different (P < 0.05).