Feedlot Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Western Baggara and Friesian Crossbred Bulls. 1. Slaughtered at 300-kg liveweight.

Abstract

Thirty bulls of an average initial liveweight of 216.5 kg and average initial age of 20.8 months 
were included in the experiment. They comprised of 15 Western Baggara bulls, which w ere 
purchased from local market (Elmoulih) and another 15 Friesian crossbred bulls (Friesian X 
local Sudan Zebu), purchased from Kuku local market, ■ Khartoum North. The bulls were kept 
for a period which ranged from 65 to 75 days, during which they were intensively fed on 
molasses feed ( 11.09 MJ/kg, ME) and Sorghum straw (6.69 MJ/ kg ME) on ad libitum base. 
Berseem (Medicago sativa) forage was given at a rate of two kg/head weekly. Animals were 
slaughtered at a target liveweight of 300 kg. The Western Baggara bulls were found to be 
significantly (PL 0.05) greater in the hide weight and the weight of mesentric fat, kidney fat, 
reproductive organs and stomach. While the crossbred bulls were found to be superior over 
Western Baggara bulls in the following studied parameters: feeding period (65 days), feed 
conversion efficiency (5.58 kg DM/kg liveweight gain) and weight gain (1.36 kg/day).