Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Vol. 7(2), pp. 75-86, March 2019
DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2019.006
Copy©right 2019
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
ISSN: 2360-7874
http://www.academicresearchjournals.org/ARJASR/Index.htm
 

Full Length Research

Effect of Different Levels of Lentil (Lens culinaries) Hull and Noug Seed (Guizotia abyssinica) Cake Mixture Supplementation on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Body Weight Change of Farta Sheep Fed Hay as Basal Diet

Dessie Yigzaw¹*, Berhanu Alemu² and Asnakew Awuk²

¹Department of Animal Sciences, Injibara University, P. O. Box 40, Injibara, Ethioipia

²Department of Animal Sciences, Debre Markos University, P. O. Box 269, Debre Markos, Ethiopia

*Corresponding Author E-mail: dessieyigzaw2008@gmail.com

Accepted 25 January 2019

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the effect of supplementation with different levels of lentil hull (LH) and Noug seed cake (NSC) mixture on feed intake, digestibility and body weight change of Farta sheep and to assess the economic benefit of the feeding regime. Twenty four intact male yearling Farta sheep with an initial average body weight of 18.05±1.09 kg (Mean±SD) were used in randomized complete block design (RCBD). The experiment consisted of 90 days of feeding trials followed by 7 days digestibility trials. The experimental animals were blocked into six blocks of four animals based on their initial body weight. The treatments were ad libitum feeding of natural grass hay and supplemented with 0, 200, 300 and 400 g/day/head of LH and NSC mixture at a proportion of 2:1 for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively on DM basis. All sheep were offered 50 g NSC to fulfill their maintenance requirement for the control group. The CP content of grass hay, LH, NSC and the mixture of LH and NSC were 7.13%, 22.3%, 34.65% and 26.37%, respectively. The hay DM intake was significantly (P<0.001) higher in control group (586.2 g/d) compared to the supplemented groups. However, the total DM intake was significantly higher (P<0.001) for supplemented groups compared to the control group. Intake of CP increased with increasing level of the supplements (59.1, 106.8, 130.5 and 153.8 g/day) for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively. Digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF were improved by supplementation. Average daily body weight gain (ADG), final BW and FCE were significantly higher (p<0.001) for supplemented groups as compared to control group. The partial budget analysis showed that T4 had highest economical gain. Generally, this study indicated that the current supplementary feeds improved the performance of Farta sheep and T4 is recommended on both biologically and economically efficient supplementary regime for this sheep breed.

Key Words: Farta Sheep, Lentil hull, Intake, Digestibility, Body weight change

How to cite this article (APA Style): Dessie, Y., Berhanu, A., Asnakew, A. (2019). Effect of Different Levels of Lentil (Lens culinaries) Hull and Noug Seed (Guizotia abyssinica) Cake Mixture Supplementation on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Body Weight Change of Farta Sheep Fed Hay as Basal Diet. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 7(2): 75-86