No abstract

Effects of season and sex on voluntary dry matter intake (DMI), growth, digestibility and performance of the Fiji Fantastic sheep fed native guinea grass (Panicum maximum) was investigated. Twelve lambs (6 ram lambs and 6 ewe lambs) from the sheep-breeding unit, Nawaicoba (Fiji) were selected and used in the two seasonal phase trials. Six lambs each (3 ram and 3 ewe), with pre-trial liveweight and age 25.1 ± 1.15 kg and 5-6 months, and 20.0±0.00 kg and 4-5 months of age were used in dry and wet seasons (trials 1 and 2), respectively. The lambs in each trial were selected as closely as possible for liveweight. The experimental design was a completely randomized 2x2 factorial [(2 seasons (dry and wet) * 2 sexes (females and males)]. Trial 1 was from October 3 rd 2002-28 th January 2003 (92 days), while trial 2 was from February 12 th-8 th May 2003 (84 days). Seasons had effects on chemical composition of the forage. Except for crude protein (CP), dry matter (DM), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), hemicellulose, cellulose and energy (MJ/kg, DM), were higher in the dry (D) than in the wet season (W). DMI of sheep was 536±0.50 and 792±7.51g/head/d in D and W seasons, respectively. Season but not sex had significant (PO.001) effect on DMI. ADG was 34.5±2.5 and 35.5±3.5 g/head/d and season and sex had no significant (P>0.001) effects on ADG. Feed efficiency (kg DMI/kg liveweight gain) was 15. 6± 1.1 and 22.5 ±2. 0 in D and W seasons, respectively. Water intake (WI) in D and W seasons was 1328.8±9.9 and 550.2±9.8 L, respectively. Season and DMI had significant (P<0.001) effect on WI. Blood urea-N and blood glucose concentrations at the pre-and post-experimental periods were similar and sex had no effect on their concentrations. Season but not sex had effect on apparent digestibility of CP, NDF, hemicellulose and energy. Also, season had significant effect (PO.001) on