Replacement of soybean meal and barley grain by chickpeas in lamb and kid fattening diets

In two trials, with 42 early-weaned male Chios lambs and 42 early-weaned Damascus kids, the effect of partial replacement of soybean meal and barley grain with chickpeas on weight changes and feed efficiency was studied. Within trial, animals were divided on the basis of age and liveweight into three groups that were randomly allocated to the concentrate mixtures containing three levels (kg as fed basis/t) of chickpeas (CHPEA 0, CHPEA 136, CHPEA 329). In situ degradation of soybean meal and chickpeas was also measured using three mature rumen fistulated Chios ewes. Apparent digestion coefficients and CP-retained were measured using four lambs per concentrate mixture. Lambs grew faster than kids. In both trials, there were no differences among diets in liveweight gain. Digestion coefficients of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and CP in the diets containing chickpeas were higher than those on the soybean meal control diet. The effective ruminal degradability of CP was higher in chickpeas than soybean meal. Fast growing lambs and kids consuming chickpeas (up to 329 kg/t) in substitution for barley grain and soybean meal performed as well as those on the control diet.