Effect of feeding shrubs hay as non-traditional fodder and source of protein on performance and milk production of sheep

Abstract EN

This study aimed to use of Leuceana leucocephala lam.

Hay (L.H) for ruminant its effects on performance, milk production and composition as a partial replacer of concentrate feed mixture (CFM) in sheep ration.

A total of 16 mature rams (40–45 kg live body weight) were used in digestion trial, arranged as (4 x 4) Latin square design and twenty eight growing Saidi male lambs were used in growth trial.

Animals in each trial were randomly divided into four groups according to their body weight.

On the other hand, twenty four ewes were used in milk yield trail.

Four diets were used in all experiments.

Ration 1 (R1, CFM +wheat straw), ration 2 (R2, CFM + wheat straw +20% Leuceana hay), ration 3 (R3, CFM+ wheat straw +40 % Leuceana hay) and ration 4 (R4, CFM+ wheat straw +60 % Leuceana hay) CFM and wheat straw were used in R1, R2, R3 and R4 as 3 % and 1 % of live body weight, respectively ,while Leuceana hay percentages were used to cover a partial of protein from CFM.

Diets containing Leuceana hay had higher dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE), nitrogen free extract digestibility (NFED), neutral detergent fiber digestibility (NDFD), acid detergent fiber digestibility (ADFD) and hemicelluloses digestibility coefficients (HMCD)compared to control diet, except R4 concerning neutral detergent fiber digestibility and hemicelluloses digestibility.

There were significant differences (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001) in total digestible nutrients (TDN), digestible crude protein (DCP), digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME) among the experimental rations except R4 in TDN.

The average total and daily gain, feed consumption and feed conversion were in favor of diets containing Leuceana hay.

The differences were significant (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05) among the different diets.

Results of milk yield, fat percentage, protein percentage, total solids and fat corrected milk were higher in diets containing Leuceana hay compared to control diet.

The differences were significant (P < 0.05, P < 0.01 and P < 0.001) among different diets.

Results obtained reveled that , feeding rams and ews rations containing LLH hay as a non-traditional ration and source of partial protein instead of CFM protein up to 60 % appeared to have higher nutrient digestibility, increased daily gain and improved feed efficiency.

Moreover, decreasing in feed cost would be achieved.