Effect of pasture improvement on dry season weight gain of Horro bulls
1995
Lema Gizachew | Ababeker Hasen (Bako Research Center, Bako (Ethiopia))
The live weight change of Horro bulls grazing Stylosanthes guianensis cv. Cook (stylo) over-sown native pasture was compared with that of bulls grazing native pasture with or without a daily supplement of sun dried Leucaena leucocephala cv. Cunningham leaf for two years at Bako. All 18 (6 Animals/treatment) Animals were allowed to graze for eight hours daily and given ad lib native pasture hay at night. Leucaena hay was offered at the rate of 1.35 kg/head/day. The average live weight gain (ALWG) differed among the different groups (p less than 0.01). The ALWG of the group on leucaena supplement, stylo-oversown pasture and the control were 262, 108 and 19 g/day, respectively. The high ALWG obtained as a result of forage legume incorporation into the conventional livestock feeding system suggests the possibility of ameliorating the dry season feed shortage of small holders through forage legumes development programs around the homestead or stock exclusion areas.
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