The Effect of Zeranol on Body Weight Gain of Sucklings and Early Weaned Barbary Lambs

Abstract

Two trials were conducted to investigate the possibility of utilizing Zeranol to improve weight gain of suckling and non-suckling lambs. In trial 1. the initial implantation did not significantly improve weight gain of the suckling lambs. However, re-implantation of Zeranol at 10 weeks of age in trial 2, resulted in a significant (P < 0.05) improvement of the weight gain. When early weaning was employed at 10 weeks of age. the weight gain of the lambs was significantly (P<0.05) reduced as compared with the control. But. when Zeranol was re-implanted in the early weaned lambs, the weight gains was not significantly improved. However, when Zeranol was re-implanted in suckling lambs, the weight gain was significantly improved.