Protein requirements of hair sheep raised in warm areas: a multi-study approach

The protein requirements of hair sheep are a key factor in increasing profitability and decreasing the environmental impacts of nitrogen excretion. The objective of this study was to evaluate the protein requirements of hair sheep. A database with 382 individual records (269 intact and 113 castrated males) comprising information from 11 studies was used. The studies provided different levels of metabolisable protein intake (MPI) and of N retention, allowing the development of equations to predict the net protein (NP) and the metabolisable protein (MP) requirements. The efficiency of MP use for gain (k(pg)) was calculated using the equation of daily protein retained against daily MPI above maintenance. The efficiency of MP use for maintenance (k(pm)) was computed as the ratio between the NP for maintenance (NPm) and the MP for maintenance (MPm). The NPm (1.32 g/kg(0.75) EBW) did not differ between sex. The k(pm) was 0.34, and the k(pg) was 0.25. The MPm estimated was 3.21 g/kg(0.75) BW. Sex affects the protein requirements for gain (NPg). The protein requirements of hair sheep differ from those recommended by feeding systems for sheep. The equations provided herein may improve the optimisation of protein nutrition of sheep, thereby minimising the environmental impacts of sheep production.