Effect of Tail Docking at Birth on Energy Utilization as well as Protein and Lipid Deposition by Fat-tailed Najdi Lambs

Kraidees, M.S., Al-Saiady, M.Y. and Abouheif, M.A. 1995. Effect of tail docking at birth on energy utilization as well as protein and lipid deposition by fat-tailed Najdi lambs. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 7: 81-90. Fifty six fat-tailed Najdi lambs, comprising 28 males and females each, were identically reared from birth to near-market live weight (40 kg). Half the lambs were docked at birth. Six lambs per docking x sex treatment were slaughtered at 40 kg; the remaining 8 lambs/treatment were individually fed for 60 days and then slaughtered. Over the 60-days period, there was no docking effect on the daily protein deposition between docked and undocked lambs. Docked lambs deposited a lower (P