Effect of <i>Acacia albida</i> Leaf Supplementation on Reproductive Parameters and Pre-Weaning Growth of Arabian Lambs

Abstract

A trial on Acacia albida leaf supplementation on reproductive parameters and pre-weaning growth of Arabian lambs was conducted from September 2020 to May 2021 at the small ruminant station of the Livestock Research Institute for Development (IRED) in N’Djamena, Chad. Forty-eight (48) Arabian sheep (45 non-pregnant females and 3 males for a sex ratio of 1 ram to 15 ewes) with an average weight of 20.3 ± 1.2 kg and aged approximately 2 years were divided into 3 groups of 15 ewes each. The supplemented group received in addition to the dominant forage of the pasture (300 g of Dactyloctenium aegyptium + 300 g of Cenchrus ciliaris + 600 g of Panicum maximum), 400 g and 600 g of Acacia albida leaves/animal/day while the control group received only 300 g of Dactyloctenium aegyptium + 300 g of Cenchrus ciliaris + 600 g of Panicum maximum. From the results of this study, it appears that the ewes that received 400 g of Acacia albida leaves had a significantly higher fertility rate and birth mortality rate (93.03% and 6.25% respectively). Animals in the control group had a significantly higher pre-weaning mortality rate than those receiving Acacia albida leaves as a supplement (16.66% versus 6.66% and 14.28% respectively). The highest weight of the lambs was observed in the ration supplemented with 600 g of Acacia albida leaves (12209.66 g). The total weight gain, as well as the average daily weight gain of the lambs receiving the 600 g Acacia albida leaf ration was significantly higher than those of the other rations. Supplementation with 400 g and 600 g of Acacia albida leaves can be recommended as a protein supplement for breeding ewes and pre-weaned lambs.