Effect of legume crop residues and concentrate supplementation on voluntary intake and performance of kirdi sheep fed a basal diet of rice straw
1992
Ngwa, A.T. (Institute of Animal Research, Yagoua (Cameroon)) | Tawah, C.L. (Istitute of Animal Research, Ngaoundere (Cameroon))
Twenty young kirdi rams of the West African Dwarf sheep, averaging 22kg liveweight and 15 months of age, were randomly assigned to four feeding groups and subjected to an eight-week feeding trial, to determine the effect of different protein supplements on voluntary intake of rice straw and on performance. Control group animals were fed a daily basal diet of ad libitum rice straw and 250 g of rice bran. Other groups were fed the basal diet supplemented with 300g of groundnut haulms, 45 g of cottonseed cake or 210 g of chopped cowpea vines. Liveweight changes of the supplemented groups did not differ significantly but there was a difference (p.0.05) in liveweight gain between the supplemented groups and the control group. There were highly significant (p0.01) differences between the groups in the intake of rice straw; cottonseed cake increased intake while the crop residues reduced intake. Variations in height at withers, heart girth and scapulo-ischial length showed no significant differences between treatments. Cotton seed cake was the most effective supplement, in terms of both liveweight gain and intake of rice straw. However, because crop residues are readily available to farmers, it is worthwhile paying some attention to them.
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