Abstract
Atriplex nummularia (oldman saltbush) is widely planted on salt-affected land to provide a vegetative cover, which can be used as an alternative feed resource. The study was conducted to evaluate the replacement of commercial concentrate with oldman saltbush (SB) leaf on the feed intake, live weight gain, and carcass parameters of local sheep. Twenty-five sheep with an age of 6 months and weighting 14.60 ± 2.47 kg were used in randomized complete block design and distributed into five equal groups, with five animals each. The selected sheep were fed with the dietary treatments for 2 weeks for adaptation and continued until the end of the study, which lasted for 90 days. In the control treatment (SB-0), sheep were fed 100% concentrate mix, while in SB-5, SB-10, SB-15, and SB-20, 5, 10, 15, and 20% of the concentrate mix was replaced by SB, respectively. Wheat straw and water were given at ad libitum throughout the experiment period. Data on feed intake and live weight gain were recorded daily and weekly, respectively, for 90 days. Three animals from each treatment were slaughtered for carcass analysis. Atriplex nummularia leaf (Oldman saltbush) contained 92.02% dry matter (DM), 21.99% crude protein (CP), 24.77% ash, 58.27% neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and 26.56% acid detergent fiber (ADF). Dry matter intake, live weight gain, and carcass parameter were not statistically different among the treatments. Result indicated that concentrate feed can be replaced with Atriplex nummularia leaf up to 20% in sheep diet without negative effect on growth performance and carcass characteristics.
Highlights
The production and productivity of the livestock sector in Ethiopia is very limited even though the country has huge potential
This study was conducted to investigate the optimal replacement level of expensive commercial concentrate feeds with dried leaves of Atriplex nummularia leaf on the productive performance and carcass characteristics of highland sheep in northern Ethiopia
The crude protein (CP) content of Oldman saltbush used in the present study (21.99%) was higher than the values (14–19) reported by Norman et al (2004) and lower than the values of 25.2% reported by Khalil et al (1986), but similar with the value (21.4%) reported by Wehren (1976)
Summary
The production and productivity of the livestock sector in Ethiopia is very limited even though the country has huge potential. Trop Anim Health Prod (2018) 50:1435–1440 inflation, livestock production is increasingly constrained by feed scarcity and the high cost of feeds (Ayantunde et al 2005) Fodder shrubs such as Atriplex nummularia would reduce feed shortage while improving degraded grazing lands. The plant grows on wide array of area including saline area and is used to mitigate feed shortages within grazing systems (Le Houerou 1992) It is appreciated for its high crude protein content (Ben Salem et al 2002) and low secondary metabolites such as tannins and saponins (Ahmed et al 2015).
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