SUMMARY
Twenty four Ossimi lambs averaged 14.5 kg and aged 16 weeks were used to study the
effect of 4 pelleted complete feeds (PCF) on digestibility, growth performance and wool
characteristics. The lambs were divided into 4 groups (6 animals in each). The animal groups
were fed on PCF without urea or tafta (C), 2% urea without tafla (U), 2% urea + 3% tafla
(U1T) and 2.5% urea + 3% tafla (U2T). Growth trial lasted for 24 weeks which were divided
into 3 successive periods. By the end of the growth trial, 3 animals from each group were
taken for digestibility trials. The main results were, the crude fibre (CF) digestibility of U2T
was significantly (p<0.05) lower than that of the other rations, while the other nutrients
digestibility was not significantly affected with different rations. The group U had the lowest
value of daily body gain (DBG) while the group U2T had the highest value. The yield of
clean wool of the groups fed urea and tafla (U1T and U2T) was significantly higher than that
of groups U or C. The wool quality of the groups U1T and U2T was better than groups U or C
. Conclusively, adding tafla clay in pelleted complete feed improved growth performance
and wool yield and its characteristics. Moreover, U2T was the most economic diet among all
tested ones.