Abstract
The objective of this study was to determine the effect of supplementing increasing levels of dried tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) leaf on the nutrition and performance of sheep fed a basal diet of barley straw. The study had four treatments, which involved supplementation of dried
tagasaste leaf at 100, 200, 300, and 400 g/day. Twenty-four
yearling Menz sheep (weight 17 ± 0.83 kg) were assigned to
one of the four treatments in a randomized complete block
design. The experiment comprised a feeding trial lasting for
90 days, a digestibility trial, and carcass evaluation using all
animals. Samples of the feed consumed, refused, and feces
were analyzed for nutrients. Intake and digestibility of dry
matter (DM) and nutrients increased linearly (P < 0.001) as
tagasaste supplementation increased from 100 to 400 g/day.
Similarly, average daily body weight gain increased linearly
(P < 0.001) from 20 to 73 g/day, feed conversion efficiency
from 0.04 to 0.10, and dressing percentage from 40 to 48%, as
the supplementation increased from 100 to 400 g/day.
Proportion of tagasaste leaf in the diet increased from 20 to
50%, while the ratio of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) to crude
protein (CP) decreased from 7.9 to 5.3, as the level of supplementation
increased. It was thus concluded that supplementation
of dried tagasaste leaf up to 50%of the dietDM, resulting
in a NDF:CP ratio of 5.3, produces no deleterious effects on
the performance of sheep, and inclusion to this level can be
applied for superior growth performance and carcass yield in
sheep fed crop residue-based diets.
Original language | Undefined/Unknown |
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Pages (from-to) | 1415-1422 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Tropical Animal Health and Production |
Volume | 49 |
Issue number | 7 |
Early online date | 5 Jul 2017 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | E-pub ahead of print - 5 Jul 2017 |
Keywords
- Multipurpose tree
- Tagasaste
- Leaf supplement
- Protein
- Energy
- Weight gain
- Anti-nutritional factors