Impact of feeding some fodder trees and treated crop residues on barki lambs performance under semi-arid area of Egypt

Abstract EN

Thirty Barki lambs with average body weight of 9.77 ± 0.50kg, 3 months age were divided randomly by weight into three equal groups, to study the effect of supplementary values of tree fodder (Cassava or Prosopis) with ammoniated wheat straw on growth performance, blood metabolic, feed efficiency and economic efficiency of growing Barki lambs.

The crude protein (CP) requirements of growing sheep (NRC, 1985) were covered from concentrate feed mixture (CFM) 40%.

The other 60% of CP was covered from: berseem hay in the first group (G1), 50% Prosopis +50% a treated wheat straw in second group (G2), 50% Cassava +50% a treated wheat straw in third group (G3).

The feeding trails lasted for 16 weeks.

The obtained results showed that the crud protein (CP) content were noticeably higher with G3 (15.56%) than those of G1 (14.61%) or G2 (14.10%).

the content of DM, OM and NFE were higher (93.55, 88.53 and 51.97%) in berseem hay ration compared with the other experimental rations.

Moreover, the lowest value of CF (42.21%) was recorded with berseem hay ration and the highest value (48.12%) was detected with G3.

On the other hand, the content of Hemi-cellulose was more in G3 compared with other groups G2 and G1 (19.10 vs.8.70 and 6.10% of DM, respectively).

Cellulose was higher (23.5% of DM) with G2 than the other G1 and G3 (16.00 and 9.5% of DM, respectively).

The differences in EE, NDF and ADL were of fewer values.

The methane production with second combination Cassava: treated wheat straw was more than first combination Prosopis: treated wheat straw (12 vs.10ml/200 mg DM, respectively).

Whereas, fist combination was contained more condensed tannins (CT), compared with second combination (23 vs.

20 g/kg DM, respectively).

The highest value of final body weight (FBW) and total body gain (TBG) were recorded with G3 (31.33 and 21.41 kg, respectively) then G1 (30.74 and 20.90 kg, respectively) but, lowest values were detected with G2 (27.94 and 18.18 kg, respectively) and the differences were significant.

Similarly, in daily body gain (DBG) this improvement could be attributed to increase in dry matter intake (DMI, g/h/d) in G1 and G3 compared with G2 (942 and 804 vs.

738, respectively).

Most tested blood parameters were significantly affected by dietary treatments.

The economic efficiency (EE) was better with G3 then G2, compared with G1.

Accordingly, feeding Cassava or Prosopis (leaves & twigs) with ammoniated wheat straw at 60% (instead of berseem hay) + 40% concentrate feed mixture level has better impact on growing Barki lambs either for growth rate or feed conversion efficiency and economic values