Abstract
This study was undertaken with the aim to determine the supplementary value of Beresa-55 and Gebisa-17 cultivars and concentrate mixture to a basal diet of natural pasture hay based on growth performance, feed utilization, digestibility and net return of Horro sheep. A total of twenty five yearlings Horro sheep were stratified into five groups based on initial body weight in randomized complete block design and animals were assigned to the dietary treatments randomly: (T1) (Control): ad-lib natural grass + concentrate mixture at 2% BW, (T2): ad-lib natural grass + Gebisa-17cultivar at 1.5% BW, (T3): ad-lib natural grass + Gebisa-17 cultivar at 2% BW, (T4): ad-lib natural grass + Beresa-55 cultivar at 1.5% BW and (T5): ad-lib natural grass + Beresa-55 cultivar at 2% BW. Basal hay DM intake was relatively higher in T2 and T4, while total DM and CP intake was higher in T1 and T5. Similarly, significantly higher digestibility of DM, CP and organic matter (OM) was obtained in T1 and T5. Dietary treatments also significantly (P<0.01) influenced the weight gain of lambs. Lambs in T1 and T5 had shown better (P>0.01) weight gain and enhanced comparable growth performance than in the other treatments. However, partial budget analysis indicates that, T5 is more profitable and thus, can be used as a priority supplement in feeding of Horro sheep. Key words: Horro sheep, Lablab purpureus, weight gain, digestibility, feed intake.
Highlights
Small ruminant production is an important agricultural activity and has a substantial contribution to smallholder farmers in generating income and securing food in developing countries (Kosgey et al, 2006)
The dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) content was almost similar variation was observed in the remaining nutrient components
The linseed cake meal used in this study had higher level of Dry matter (DM) (92.33%), Crude protein (CP) (29.43%), acid detergent fiber (ADF) (19.2%) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) (7.17%) than the result reported by Abebe (2006) for the same nutrient types
Summary
Small ruminant production is an important agricultural activity and has a substantial contribution to smallholder farmers in generating income and securing food in developing countries (Kosgey et al, 2006). In Ethiopia, like other developing countries in sub Saharan Africa, small ruminant production is a major component of the livestock sector. Reports of Gizaw et al (2013) indicated that, at the smallholder level, sheep are the major source of food security serving a diverse function including cash income, savings, cash for fertilizer purchase and sociocultural functions. There are various and complex constraints which contribute to these reduced productivity of sheep, inadequacy of feed in terms of both quality and quantity is considered to be the most important limiting factor (Adane and Girma, 2008)
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