Partial replacement of dried Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit leaves for noug (Guizotia abyssinica) (L.f.) Cass. seed cake in the diet of highland sheep fed on wheat straw

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of replacing noug (Guizotia abyssinica) (L.f.) Cass. seed cake by dried Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit leaves on feed intake, live weight gain, nutrient digestibility, and nitrogen balance of highland sheep in Tigray Region in northern Ethiopia. Twenty intact yearling male highland sheep weighing 16.9 ± 1.62 kg were used in a randomized complete block design and included the following four treatments: T1 (control, wheat straw ad libitum + 200 g noug seed cake (NSC) + 150 g wheat bran (WB)); T2 (wheat straw ad libitum + 170 g NSC + 44.3 g dried L. leucocephala (DLL) + 150 g WB); T3 (wheat straw ad libitum + 140 g NSC + 87.3 g DLL + 150 g WB); and T4 (wheat straw ad libitum + 110 g NSC + 130.2 g DLL + 150 g WB). Sheep fed on T4 diet consumed higher total dry matter (658 g/head/day) and recorded the highest average daily weight gain (59 g/head/day). Sheep fed on T4 diet had higher dry matter (61 %), organic matter (63 %), and crude protein (75 %) digestibility values than the other treatments. Sheep fed on T3 diet demonstrated higher feed conversion ratio (11.93) than sheep kept on the other treatments. All sheep exhibited positive nitrogen balance, with the highest nitrogen retention being measured in T4 (12 g/head/day). It is concluded that partially replacing NSC by DLL can improve total dry matter intake, digestibility of nutrients, and body weight gain in highland sheep fed on wheat straw as the basal diet.

Effect of replacing concentrate feed with leaves of Oldman saltbush (Atriplex nummularia) on feed intake, weight gain, and carcass parameters of highland sheep fed on wheat straw in northern Ethiopia

“…High contents of NDF and ADF reduce feed intake and digestibility (Van Soest 1994 ). The NDF and ADF contents of WS found in this experiment were lower as compared to the results 7.2 and 3.84% reported by Temesgen and Yayneshet ( 2013 ). The CP value of WS of this study was higher than the values 2.5 and 3% reported by Temesgen and Yayneshet ( 2013 ) and Gebremeskel and Kefelegn ( 2011 ), respectively.…”

“…The crude protein content of cottonseed cake (35.5%) in the present study is higher than the values reported by Ndemanisho et al ( 1998 ), while the NDF and ADF values is lower than the values reported by Ndemanisho et al ( 1998 ). The CP of wheat bran (WB) content in current study is higher than the value reported by Temesgen and Yayneshet ( 2013 ), but it is lower than the value reported by Kidane et al 2015 . The NDF and ADF values of wheat bran in the present study was lower than the values 46 and 34.2% reported by Temesgen and Yayneshet ( 2013 ) and Gebremeskel and Kefelegn ( 2011 ), respectively.…”

“…The CP of wheat bran (WB) content in current study is higher than the value reported by Temesgen and Yayneshet ( 2013 ), but it is lower than the value reported by Kidane et al 2015 . The NDF and ADF values of wheat bran in the present study was lower than the values 46 and 34.2% reported by Temesgen and Yayneshet ( 2013 ) and Gebremeskel and Kefelegn ( 2011 ), respectively. The variation among chemical contents might be due to variations in the age of the plants at harvest, the processing methods used, and leaf to petiole ratio in the sample.…”

Cajanus cajan and Lablab purpureus leaf meal-potential supplements over conventional protein sources for yearling Horro sheep fed a basal diet of fodder oat (Avena sativa) hay

“…In line with the present finding, no significant variation in the digestibility coefficient for CP, OM, NDF and ADF was observed for yearling Abergell sheep ( Gebru et al, 2017 ). Except for CP, lack of significant variation in digestibility coefficient for dietary DM, OM, NDF and ADF was noted for yearling highland ( Tesfay and Tesfay, 2013 ) and Black Ogaden ( Birhanu et al, 2013 ) sheep breeds. Contrary to this, Diribsa et al (2016) and Gemechu et al (2020) reported significant variations in the digestibility coefficient of dietary nutrients for the same breed.…”