Supplementation with linseed (Linum usitatissimum) cake and/or wheat bran on feed utilization and carcass characteristics of Arsi-Bale sheep

Abstract

Thirty yearling male intact Arsi-Bale sheep with initial body weight (BW) of 15.5 +/- 0.21 kg (mean +/- SD) were used in 90 days feeding trial, 10 days digestibility trial followed by evaluation of carcass parameters at Bokoji, Ethiopia. The objectives were to evaluate effects of supplementation with linseed (Linum usitatissimum) cake (LSC), wheat bran (WB), and their mixtures at 2:1 and 1:2, respectively on feed intake, digestibility, daily BW gain, and carcass parameters. The five treatments included ad libitum feeding of natural pasture hay (control) and with daily supplementation of 300 g dry matter (DM) sole LSC, 2LSC:1WB mix, 1LSC:2WB mix, and sole WB. Six sheep were randomly assigned to each treatment using randomized complete-block design. Four sheep in each treatment were randomly selected and used for determination of digestibility and carcass characteristics using a completely randomized design. The intake of hay DM was higher (P < 0.001) for the non-supplemented sheep compared with the supplemented ones, but the contrary was true for total DM intake. Sheep in the control treatment lost BW (-1.5 g/day), while the supplemented ones gained 69.0-104.1 g BW/head/day. Digestibility of CP was higher (P < 0.001) for supplemented sheep as a result of higher (P < 0.001) CP intake. Slaughter weight, empty BW, and hot carcass weight were lower (P < 0.001) for sheep in the control treatment compared with the rest. Sheep supplemented with LSC and its mixtures with WB had better (P < 0.001) performance in daily BW gain than sole WB supplemented ones indicating the advantages of using supplements as mixed rations. Moreover, supplementation proved to be profitable, whereas feeding hay alone led to economic loss.

The Effect of Feeding Dried Tomato Pomace and Concentrate Feed on Body Weight Change, Carcass Parameter and Economic Feasibility on Hararghe Highland Sheep, Eastern Ethiopia

“…The lack of significant difference for non-edible offal's observed in this study is consistent with that noted by others [20]. Conversely, Abebe [25] reported heavier total non-edible offal's for supplemented ArsiBale sheep than the non-supplemented sheep fed basal diet of grass hay.…”

Supplementation of Adilo Sheep with Sole or Mixtures of Moringa stenopetala Leaf Meal and Wheat Bran on Feed intake, Body Weight Gain and Digestibility

“…The ADF content of hay obtained in this study was in an agreement with 468 g/kg DM reported by Abebaw and Solomon (2008), but higher than the value (445 g/kg DM) reported by Tafa et al (2010) and lower than the value (510 g/kg DM) reported by Dessie et al (2010). The ADL content of grass hay used in the current study was comparable to the result obtained by Dessie et al (2010), but higher than 43.6 and 56 g/kg DM reported by Tafa et al (2010) and Bishaw and Melaku (2008), respectively. The diff erence in the ADL content might be due to the diff erence in the proportion of grass species and stage of maturity at the harvest.…”

“…The digestibility of DM in WB in this study was 60.2%. Similar result was reported by Tafa et al (2010) when linseed cake and or wheat bran was supplemented to Arsi-Bale sheep fed grass hay. In the current study, the higer apparent digestibility of DM and CP could be attributed to higher protein and lower fi ber content of the supplement diets.…”

“…The DM digestibility of hay used in the current study was comparable to 52.8% reported by Bishaw and Melaku (2008) and 53 % reported by Tafa et al (2010), but higher than 25.5 % reported by Gebregiorgis et al (2012). The apparent DM digestibility of MSLM in the current study was higher than 26.8 % reported by Gebregiorgis et al (2012) in sheep supplemented with 300g MSLM to Rhodes grass hay based diet.…”

“…The total daily DMI of sheep fed supplemented diets (718.6 -746.2 g/head/day) in the current study was comparable to 701-730 g/head/day reported for Arsi-Bale sheep supplemented with linseed cake (LSC) and/or wheat bran (Tafa et al, 2010), but lower than 850-914 g/head/ day reported for Horro lambs supplemented with wheat bran, Acacia albide leaf meal or their mixture (Feyera and Animut, 2011). In the current study, concentrate supplementation reduce the total DMI of hay.…”