Abstract
ABSTRACT Two assays were conducted to study the Tithonia diversifolia (Td) plant: (1) chemical analysis and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) of plant parts and (2) productive performance of lambs fed a traditional diet or a Td diet (30% of Td plus 70% of the traditional diet). The plant parts studied were leaves (L), leaves and petioles (LP); and leaves, petioles and stems (LPS). Feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion were registered weekly during five weeks of experimentation. The L showed higher (P<0.05) crude protein content (26.7%) than LP and LPS (25.5 and 19.7%, respectively). Crude fiber (11.2%), neutral detergent fiber (45.4%), cellulose (16.9%) and hemicellulose (33.5%) were lower in L than in LP (12.5, 46.7, 18.0 and 35.7%, respectively) and LPS (22.6, 59.2, 27.0 and 43.5%, respectively). The L and LP showed the highest IVDMD (89.2 and 88.2%, respectively vs. 77.2% of LPS). The Td diet resulted in greater feed intake and weight gain and lower feed conversion than the traditional diet. Therefore, Tithonia diversifolia is a forage plant of good quality for lambs which does not affect the productive performance.
Highlights
In Mexico, sheep production is an important activity, given that from 2000 to 2014, the sheep inventory increased by 28.9%, from 6.0 to 8.5 million animals (Hernández-Marín et al, 2017)
The extensive system that predominates with this activity has not been fully exploited, and farmers focus on concentrate supplements to improve production with the corresponding increase in costs and decrease in profits (Espinosa-García et al, 2015)
Farmers feed their lambs with concentrate supplements based on cereal grains and protein ingredients of high cost and low availability (Vázquez-Mendoza et al, 2012)
Summary
In Mexico, sheep production is an important activity, given that from 2000 to 2014, the sheep inventory increased by 28.9%, from 6.0 to 8.5 million animals (Hernández-Marín et al, 2017). Farmers feed their lambs with concentrate supplements based on cereal grains and protein ingredients of high cost and low availability (Vázquez-Mendoza et al, 2012) This situation creates the need to implement feeding strategies based on forages that allow improving the productive performance of sheep in the tropics. These forages must preferably contain between 14% and 18% crude protein and be available throughout the year (Vázquez-Mendoza et al, 2012). One of these forages could be Tithonia diversifolia (Hemsl.) A.gray (Td), a native shrub that reaches between 1.5 to 4.0 m height (González-Castillo et al, 2014). The chemical composition of Td depends on the environment (Rodríguez et al, 2008), a chemical evaluation of this plant prior to its use as forage is advisable
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