Abstract
An experiment arranged in 2×3 (2 concentrate supplement levels (CSL) and 3 breeds) factorial was carried out to evaluate the effect of CSL, breeds, and their interaction on feed intake, digestibility, feed utilization efficiency, and blood profiles of Ethiopian fat-tail hair sheep. The CSL were 1% and 1.75% body weight, designated as L1 and L2, respectively. The breeds used were yearling intact male Blackhead Ogaden (BHO), Horro and Washera. Sixteen sheep from each breed were divided into two based on initial body weight and randomly allocated to two dietary treatments for digestibility and growth trials of 10 and 90 days, respectively. Grass hay as a basal diet was offered ad libitum to each sheep. Feed intake every day and live body weight at interval of ten days were recorded for the duration of the experiment. Blood samples and linear body measurements were taken a week before the end and on the last day of the experiment from all sheep, respectively. Dry matter and nutrient intakes, except concentrate supplement and CP, were influenced by the interaction. The higher (p0.05). In conclusion, the study indicate the presence of variation in nutrient intake and utilization, performance traits, and blood profiles among breeds and between CSL, most of which were in favor of Horro breed and high level of concentrate.
Highlights
Sheep (Ovisaries) are found across all garo-ecologies and in most production systems
An experiment arranged in 2 × 3 (2 concentrate supplement levels (CSL) and 3 breeds) factorial was carried out to evaluate the effect of CSL, breeds, and their interaction on feed intake, digestibility, feed utilization efficiency, and blood profiles of Ethiopian fat-tail hair sheep
Sheep supplemented with L2 had significantly higher (P < 0.05) feed conversion efficiency (FCE), average daily gain (ADG) (57.3 vs 44.2 kg), total gain (TG) (5.3 vs 3.9 kg) and final body weight (FBW) than those supplemented with L1
Summary
Sheep (Ovisaries) are found across all garo-ecologies and in most production systems. They are suitable for extensive to highly mechanized production systems. Sheep are the species with the highest number of recorded breeds, contributing 25% to the total mammalian breeds [1], and they are used for a variety of purposes. Sheep make a substantial contribution to the wellbeing of multitudes of people around the World by providing meat, milk, fibre, and skin. The sheep breeds of the country are widely adapted to different climates, ranging from sub-alpine to arid lowlands and are found in all production systems being entirely raised under traditional production system and characterized by low input-output [2] [4]
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