Effect of replacing conventional concentrate mixture with Grewia oppositifolia leaves on nitrogen retention and nutrient digestibility in sheep fed a basal diet of sorghum hay
2000
Khan, A.R.
A metabolism study was conducted in a 4x4 Latin square design with four wethers (Kaghani x Rambouillet) to investigate nutrients digestibility and retention of nitrogen in the body. The animals were given a basal diet of sorghum tray plus urea 10 g/d supplemented with different proportions of dried Grewia oppositifolia leaves conventional concentrate mixture. The four diets A, B, C, and D were formulated to contain 100/0, 0/50, 25/75 and 0/100 ratios of G. oppositifolia leaves and concentrate mixture on iso-nitrogenous basis, respectively. The concentrate mixture was prepared by mixing equal parts of cottonseed cake and wheat bran. Each Of the four periods consisted 10 days adaptation followed by five days data collection. Dry matter intake (DMI) of sorghum hay was not significantly different among the four diets and averaged 508.48, 480.79, 501.37 and 526.53.g/d. on diets A, B, C and D, respectively. However, diet composition tended to influence (P = 0.09) the total dry matter intake in the animals. Total DMI in sheep given diet A was maximum (724.62 g/d) and among the other three diets it was non significantly varied 662.95 to 675.89 g/d. In vivo digestibilities of DM and N were not affected by diet composition and averaged 48.9% and 68.80%, respectively across the four diets. Here were small but can significant differences (P less than 0.01) among the diets w respect to daily N: intake by the wethers. The daily intake of N was maximum on diet (14.4 g) and lowest (13.18 g) on diet D. Quantity of N excreted (g/d) in faeces and urine by the wethers did not respond to diet composition and were the same on all the four diets. Parallel to these observations the quantity of dietary nitrogen retained in the body of the wethers (g/d) did not significantly vary and remained the same on all the diet. Mean N-retention in wethers receiving diets A, B, C and D were 6.98, 6.45, 6.54, and 6.98 g/d, respectively. Results demonstrated that nitrogen of Greawia oppositifolia leaves or concentrate mixture when fed alone or in combination in a basal diet of sorghum hay was utilized with the same efficiency in the body of the sheep. It is therefore concluded that G. oppositifolia leaves as a protein supplement can successfully replace conventional concentrate mixture in the diet of ruminant livestock.
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