Effect of Feeding Leucaena leucocephala Leaves and Pods on Feed Intake, Digestibility, body Weight Change and Carcass Characteristic of Central-Highland Sheep Fed basal Diet Wheat bran and Natural Pasture Hay in tigray, Ethiopia

Abstract

Feed intake, digestibility, body weight change, carcass characteristics and profitability of supplementing 20 yearling central-highland sheep (17±1.5 kg) fed basal diet of natural pasture hay (NPH) and wheat bran with dried Leucana leucocephala leaves (LLL) and pods (LLP) and their mixture were evaluated after 84 d of feeding trial followed by 7 d of fecal collection and carcass analyses. Treatment diets(partial DM basis) were: T1 (control) = 90g wheat bran +3 g salt; T2=90g wheat bran +3 g salt +207 g LLL; T3= 90g wheat bran +3 g salt +207 g LLP; T4= 90g wheat bran +3 g salt+103.5 g LLL +103.5 g LLP with NPH offered ad libitum for all treatments. Lambs were assigned to each treatment in RCBD. The crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) contents of LLL were 21.8, 20.2 and 9.9%/DM, respectively and that of LLP 18.9, 42.1 and 25.7%/DM, respectively. The total DM intake was highest for T2, T3 and T4 as compared to the control group. However, the total CP and digestible CP intakes were highest (P 0.05) in total NDF and ADF intakes among the treatments. Coefficient of DM digestibility (P<0.05) of T2, T3 and T4 was higher than that of T1. Dressing percentage (DP) calculated onthe basis of slaughter body weight (SBW) was higher (P<0.05) for T2 and T4 than T1. Rib eye muscle area (REMA) and hot carcass weight were higher (P<0.05) for T2 followed by T4 and T3 but T1 was least. Thus, T2 (LLL supplementation) gave better nutrient digestibility, feed conversion efficiency and carcass characteristics and is recommended. However, all leucaena meal supplemented animals performed better than the control, thus can be used as supplements.