Page 9 - Effects of dried citrus pulp on nutrient intake, nitrogen balance and growth performance in Lohi lambs

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Livestock and crops are integral parts of agriculture industry. They can never be

separated from each other. With increase in population, there is need of elevated food
supply. Livestock ensure the food supply to the urban as well as rural population. Our

animals are feed deficient. Feeding of concentrate is a common practice to get high

production from the animals, especially from ruminants. The ingredients used for the
formulation of concentrate are very costly and livestock farmers cannot afford them. There

is urge to use some easily available cheaper feed sources for animals.

Some agro-industrial wastes can be used to fulfill this urge (Qureshi and Fitzhugh,

1986). These wastes can fulfill maintenance and production requirements of ruminants

(Jayasuriya, 1985). A huge amount of agro-industrial products are produced in Pakistan but
the drawback is environmental pollution, no utilization by animal feed industry at all!

Grasser et al. (1995) pointed out two main advantages of agro-industrial by-
products in livestock feeding, it reduces the dependence of livestock on grain, which must

be used for human being, and the other one is, it reduces the need for costly programs of
waste management.

Citrus is mainly used by human beings as fresh fruit or processed (chilled or fresh)

juice. Genus citrus includes grape fruit, lemon, sweet orange and tangerine. Sweet orange
is most important (Salunkhe and Kadam, 1995). Mediterranean countries like Egypt,

Greece, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Turkey contributes 24% citrus to the total production of
the world. While Brazil and USA contributes 24% and 21% citrus. Pakistan produces 2.299

million tons/year and considered as leading citrus producer (Economic Survey, 2008-09)

Ruminants have capability to ferment a large amount of fibrous diets in their rumens
and can ferment a huge amount of citrus in the diet (Grasser et al., 1995). It should be fed

to animals and gradually increase the amount of the citrus pulp in the diet then the animals
develop taste for it and they easily be familiar with the typical smell of citrus pulp (Bath et

al., 1982). According to FAO (2001), it can be fed to cattle without any adverse effect up
to 40 kg/ day on fresh basis.

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