Effect of texturized and pelleted starter on growth and gastrointestinal development of early weaning lambs

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of texturized and pelleted starter on the growth and gastrointestinal development of early weaning lambs. Forty-two newborn, healthy male lambs were selected and randomly assigned to two groups; lambs were fed pelleted, and texturized starter feed, respectively. The experiment lasted for 42 days. The changes in feed intake, body weight, and absolute growth of lambs in two groups were similar before 21 days old. After 21 days of age, the starter feed intake, body weight, absolute growth, and relative growth of lambs fed texturized starter feed were higher than those fed with pelleted starter feed. There were differences (P < 0.05) in the body weight at 42 days of age, the starter feed intake in the last two weeks, and the relative growth rate at 15～21 days of age. The fattening index, body length index, chest circumference index, and tube circumference index at 42 days, and rumen weight and rumen weight / pre-weaning carcass weight were also improved (P < 0.05) in the texturized group. Compared with the pelleted starter, the texturized starter was more beneficial to rumen development, an increase of feed intake, and body weight and body size of lambs pre- and post- weaning, but there was no effect on the development of other stomach chambers and intestines.