Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. as supplementary feed for small stock in Libya

Abstract

A flock of 84 breeding ewes, 20 yearlings, five rams, 10 breeding goats, one buck and five kids herded in four fenced paddock rangeland at stocking rate of 1·4 ha per ovine unit, near Azizia (200 mm) in Libya, was pen supplemented for 79 days from 1 October to 18 December 1978 with 0·5 kg of barley grain and Acacia cyanophylla, ad libitum. The consumption of Acacia cyanophylla phyllodes was constant throughout the feeding period: 3·26 kg fresh (24 h air dried) or 1·760 kg of dry matter per day per ovine unit or 3·2 kg DM per 100 kg of liveweight. This supplementation with Acacia was enough to meet maintenance energy needs, but not production requirements, which were met with an extra daily 0·5 kg of barley grain. The Acacia consumption was enough, however to meet the protein requirements. Animal performance was excellent (106 per cent lambing, 106 per cent weaning, daily growth at 90 days 0·226 kg (24 kg) and 0·180 kg (36·4 kg) at 180 days.)