Growth performance of indigenous sheep fed Sporobolus virginicus grass hay grown in saline desert lands and irrigated with high salt content ground water (original) (raw)
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Sorghum variety Super Dan was planted and irrigated with water containing three different concentrations of salt: 3, 6 and 9 dS/m. The sorghum fodder was termed low salinity sorghum (LSS), medium salinity sorghum (MSS) and high salinity sorghum (HSS). The sorghum was manually harvested, dried and chopped before feeding. Thirty-two, 3-monthold Omani male lambs were randomly distributed into four groups of eight lambs each. The first group was fed a control diet of Rhodes grass hay (RGH) plus a commercial concentrate. The other groups were given one of three sorghum hays irrigated with water containing one of the three different concentrations of salt plus the commercial concentrate. Daily feed intakes and weekly BW were determined throughout the experimental period of 11 weeks of which the first two were regarded as an adaptation period. A digestibility trial was carried out using 12 animals (3 sheep per diet) consisting of 10 days of adaptation and a subsequent 10 days collection period for faeces and urine. Blood samples were drawn three times during the experiment and analyzed for haematological and serum biochemistry levels. At the end of the trial the animals were slaughtered. The RGH had higher mineral content than sorghum forage grown under various levels of salinity. Animals fed sorghum-based diets did not show any signs of ill health. There were no differences (P > 0.05) in digestibility coefficients of acid detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre, and ether extract between RGH, LSS, MSS and HSS diets. However, the LS diet had lower DM, Ca, CP, P and energy digestibilities but higher ash digestibility. There were no treatment effects on hay, concentrate or total feed intake; total body weight gain or gain per kg/body weight of experimental animals. Sheep fed the RGH, LSS, MSS and HSS diets had average daily body weight gains of 96, 84, 82 and 68 g/day, respectively. There was no diets effect on rumen condition except that RGH-fed animals had lower N-ammonia and butyric acid concentration. This study indicated that sorghum forage grown under high salinity levels may be used for feeding Omani sheep without adverse effects on health or performance.
Tropical Animal Health and Production, 2004
A feeding trial using various levels of dry pods of ghaf (Prosopis cineraria) was carried out with 28 Omani native male sheep. Individual feed intake and body weight were determined for 50 days to allow assessment of the effects of the feeds on growth, feed intake, feed conversion and carcase measurements. The ripened ghaf pods contained 91% dry matter (DM), 13.5% crude protein (CP), 14.3% crude fibre (CF), 1.3% ether extract (EE) and 5.2% ash (on DM basis). Four levels of ghaf (0, 15%, 30% and 45%) were used with corresponding decreasing proportions of Rhodes grass (RGH) hay. Animals fed rations containing RGH as the sole source of roughage and no ghaf grew faster (135 g/day) and had better feed conversion than those fed various levels of ghaf. Sheep fed 15% ghaf gained reasonably well (90 g/day) and had carcase attributes similar to those fed no ghaf. Sheep fed 30% ghaf still gained weight but those fed 45% ghaf lost weight. Negative effects on growth appeared to occur after 6 weeks of feeding ghaf.
Asian-australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 2010
The objective of the present study was to compare feed and water intakes, growth performance and carcass characteristics of indigenous lamb fed diets containing various levels of halophyte Sporobolus grass hay. Forty male and female lambs were randomly and equally allotted with 5 lambs of each sex per treatment to four dietary treatment groups, which were initially formulated to have 100, 70, 30 or 0.0% Sporobolus grass hay, as a source of forage replacement for conventional Rhodes grass commonly used in the region. The lambs receiving 0.0% Sporobolus grass hay (100% Rhodes grass hay) served as the control. Feed and water were offered ad libitum. Male lambs were slaughtered at the end of the feeding trials. The average daily feed intake was significantly (p<0.05) higher for the animals fed different levels of Sporobolus grass hay than for the control animals. Feed conversion ratio (FCR), i.e., kg feed/kg BW, was similar in all treatment groups. Although lambs fed the diet with 70% Sporobolus grass hay had heavier carcass weights, the differences were not significant. In conclusion, growth performance or carcass characteristics of fattening indigenous lambs were not influenced by the inclusion of different levels of Sporobolus grass hay in the diet. Because of this, Sporobolus grass hay represents an alternative forage resource for sustaining small ruminant production in the saline coastal and subcoastal areas of the world.
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementations with F. sycomorus leaf, fruit and their mixtures on intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass parameters of sheep fed basal diet hay, and to assess the economic benefit of the supplementation using partial budget analysis. The experiment was carried out at Gish Abay in Sekela Woreda, West Gojjam Zone; using twenty intact male yearling Washera sheep with a mean (±SD) initial body weight of 17.5±0.39kg. The animals were vaccinated against anthrax and pasteurellosis, dewormed and sprayed against internal and external parasites, respectively, before the start of the experiment. Experimental sheep were adapted for 15 days to the treatment feeds. The experiment consisted of digestibility trial of 7 days and feeding trial of 90 days. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five blocks consisting of four animals per block based on their initial body weight. Dietary treatments were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment diets within a block. Treatments comprised of feeding natural pasture hay ad libitum (un-supplemented: T 1) or natural hay supplementation with either F. sycomorus leaf (Treatment 2: T2), or F. sycomorus fruit (Treatment 4; T4), or mixture of F. sycomorus leaf and fruit in a ratio of 1:1(Treatment3; T3). The amount of supplements offered was 300 g/day on DM basis. Water and salt were available free choice. Natural pasture hay in the current study contained 8.0% crude protein (CP), 73.1% Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 43.6% acid detergent fiber (ADF). Sheep in the un-supplemented treatment consumed higher (p<0.001) basal dry matter intake ((581.6 g/day) as compared to supplemented group. However, total DM intake was higher for sheep in the supplemented group (T2-T4) compared to the un-supplemented (control). Supplementation significantly improved digestibility coefficient of DM, organic matter (OM) (P<0.001) and CP (P<0.001). Supplementation highly increased (P<0.001) final body weight (FBW), feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and average daily gain (ADG). Sheep supplemented with T2 had significantly higher (P<0.001) FBW (21.6 kg), FCE (0.062) and ADG (45.1g/day) as compared to the un-supplemented treatment, which had 18.2 kg, 0.01 and 8g/day, respectively. Furthermore, Sheep in T 2 had significantly higher (P<0.05) body weight change compared to the un-supplemented. Similar to biological performance, economic analysis also showed that supplementation with T 2 resulted in better return compared to others. Thus, it can be concluded that supplementation in general improved animal performance. Among the supplements, however, T2 is biologically optimum and economically feasible.
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementations with F. sycomorus leaf, fruit and their mixtures on intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass parameters of sheep fed basal diet hay, and to assess the economic benefit of the supplementation using partial budget analysis. The experiment was carried out at Gish Abay in Sekela Woreda, West Gojjam Zone; using twenty intact male yearling Washera sheep with a mean (±SD) initial body weight of 17.5±0.39kg. The animals were vaccinated against anthrax and pasteurellosis, dewormed and sprayed against internal and external parasites, respectively, before the start of the experiment. Experimental sheep were adapted for 15 days to the treatment feeds. The experiment consisted of digestibility trial of 7 days and feeding trial of 90 days. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five blocks consisting of four animals per block based on their initial body weight. Dietary treatments were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment diets within a block. Treatments comprised of feeding natural pasture hay ad libitum (un-supplemented: T1) or natural hay supplementation with either F. sycomorus leaf (Treatment 2: T2), or F. sycomorus fruit (Treatment 4; T4), or mixture of F. sycomorus leaf and fruit in a ratio of 1:1(Treatment3; T3). The amount of supplements offered was 300 g/day on DM basis. Water and salt were available free choice. Natural pasture hay in the current study contained 8.0% crude protein (CP), 73.1% Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 43.6% acid detergent fiber (ADF). Sheep in the un-supplemented treatment consumed higher (p<0.001) basal dry matter intake ((581.6 g/day) as compared to supplemented group. However, total DM intake was higher for sheep in the supplemented group (T2-T4) compared to the un-supplemented (control). Supplementation significantly improved digestibility co-efficient of DM, organic matter (OM) (P<0.001) and CP (P<0.001). Supplementation highly increased (P<0.001) final body weight (FBW), feed conversion efficiency (FCE) and average daily gain (ADG). Sheep supplemented with T2 had significantly higher (P<0.001) FBW (21.6 kg), FCE (0.062) and ADG (45.1g/day) as compared to the un-supplemented treatment, which had 18.2 kg, 0.01 and 8g/day, respectively. Furthermore, Sheep in T2 had significantly higher (P<0.05) body weight change compared to the un-supplemented. Similar to biological performance, economic analysis also showed that supplementation with T2 resulted in better return compared to others. Thus, it can be concluded that supplementation in general improved animal performance. Among the supplements, however, T2 is biologically optimum and economically feasible. Keywords: Average daily gain, partial budget analysis, Economic benefit, Feed Intake, Feed conversion efficiency and Washera sheep.
Nonconventional agro-industrial by-products such as traditional liquor residues (locally called katikala atella) are widely used by livestock farmers in Ethiopia. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the supplementary value of katikala atella and malt sprout (MS) on performance of sheep fed a basal diet of Rhodes grass hay. Thirty intact yearling male sheep with an average initial body weight of 17.4± 0.74 kg (mean±SD) were assigned to the treatments in a completely randomized block design: atella alone (T1), 75 % atella+25 % malt sprout (MS) (T2), 50 % atella+50 % MS (T3), 25 % atella+75 % MS (T4), MS alone (T5), and Rhodes grass hay alone (T6). Grass hay was fed ad libitum to all treatments. The total dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) intakes of sheep fed T4, T5, and T3 diets were the highest (P<0.05), while sheep receiving T6 had the lowest DM intake. The highest (P<0.05) total crude protein (CP) intake was for sheep fed T5 diet, while the lowest was for those fed T6 diet. Sheep receiving T3 diet had higher (P<0.05) DM, OM, CP, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) digestibility as compared with those fed T1, T2, and T6 diets. Sheep supplemented with 50–100 % malt sprout had similar (P>0.05) DM, OM, CP, NDF, and ADF digestibility. The highest (P<0.05) average daily gain was for sheep fed T3, T4, and T5 diets, while sheep in T6 lost body weight. Sheep fed T5 diet had the highest (P<0.05) nitrogen retention, while those fed T6 diet had the lowest. The study has shown that a mixture diet consisting of equal parts of katikala atella and malt sprout (T3) are found to be superior in most of the required nutrient characteristics.
Comparative nutritional studies of ewes and does fed salt tolerant plants under desert condition
Nature and Science, 2018
The study was carried out at South Sinai Research Station, South Sinai Governorate, Egypt. Twenty eight pregnant Barki sheep and Shami goats were used to evaluate the effects of feeding cultivated salt-tolerant forages mixture, old man saltbush (Atriplex nummularia L.), Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) and pear millet (Pennisetum glaucum L.) on feed intake, nutritive value, digestibility, nitrogen utilization, body weight changes, rumen and blood parameters. Animals were randomly assigned into two equal groups (14 animals each specie). Seven animals of each species were used as control and fed fresh alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) with concentrate diet (mixture group). The other seven animals were fed mixture contained 50% A. nummularia, 25% S. bicolor and 25% P. glaucumad libitum with concentrate diet (mixture group). Data showed that values of dry roughage and total DMI (g/KgW 0.75 /d) were insignificant between both species and was higher for control group vs. mixture group. However, digestibility coefficients of CP and CF were higher for goats than sheep but were insignificantly differences in DM, OM and EE digestibility between both species. Also goats had higher in DCP% vs. sheep but were no significant differences in TDN, DCP intake (g/h/d) and TDN% among ewes and does. Nitrogen intake, excretion and balance (g/KgW 0.75) were higher for control group vs. mixture group but was insignificantly differences between both species. Animals fed mixture group consumed water more than those fed a control group while urine, faces and total water execration were higher for same animals vs. control group. Sheep had higher ruminal TVFA's (m. equiv. /100 ml) than goats and was greater for control vs. mixture group but values of rumen ammonia (NH3-N mg/100 ml) were insignificantly between two species and treatments. However, significantly differences of NH3-N were detected in interaction between species and treatments. Animals fed Salt-tolerant plants mixture had higher values of body weight change (kg) and relative body weight (%) of mid pregnancy than those fed alfalfa. Values of glucose, total lipids and creatinine were significant in interaction between species and treatments. On the other hand, insignificant differences were observed in other blood parameters between species, treatments and interaction between species and treatments. Under arid and saline conditions in Sinai we could be recommended a mixture contained some cultivated salt-tolerant forages as a non-traditional feed resources which can improve small ruminants performance. [Helal H. G., Eid E. Y, Nassar M. S, Badawy H. S. and El Shaer H. M. Comparative nutritional studies of ewes and does fed salt tolerant plants under desert condition.
The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementations with F. sycomorus leaf, fruit and their mixtures on digestibility of sheep fed basal diet hay, The experiment was carried out at Gish Abay in Sekela Woreda, West Gojjam Zone; using twenty intact male yearling Washera sheep with a mean (±SD) initial body weight of 17.5±0.39kg. The animals were vaccinated against anthrax and pasteurellosis, deformed and sprayed against internal and external parasites, respectively, before the start of the experiment. Experimental sheep were adapted for 15 days to the treatment feeds. The experiment consisted of digestibility trial of 10 days including harness training. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with five blocks consisting of four animals per block based on their initial body weight. Dietary treatments were randomly assigned to one of the four treatment diets within a block. Treatments comprised of feeding natural pasture hay ad libitum (un-supplemented: T1) or natural hay supplementation with either F. sycomorus leaf (Treatment 2: T2), or F. sycomorus fruit (Treatment 4; T4), or mixture of F. sycomorus leaf and fruit in a ratio of 1:1(Treatment3; T3). The amount of supplements offered was 300 g/day on DM basis. Water and salt were available free choice. Natural pasture hay in the current study contained 8.0% crude protein (CP), 73.1% Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and 43.6% acid detergent fiber (ADF). Sheep in the unsupplemented treatment consumed higher (p<0.001) basal dry matter intake ((581.6 g/day) as compared to supplemented group. However, total DM intake was higher for sheep in the supplemented group (T2-T4) compared to the unsupplemented (control).Supplementation significantly improved digestibility co-efficient of DM, organic matter (OM) (P<0.001) and CP (P<0.001). NDF and ADF digestibility were also improved (P<0.001) due to supplementation as compared to un-supplemented group. Thus, it can be concluded that supplementation in general improved animal p
Egyptian J. Nutrition and feeds, 2020
his experiment was conducted at Ras Sudr Research Station belonging to Desert Research Center to elucidate the effect of feeding salt tolerant plants (Atriplex nummularia, Fodder beet, Pearl millet) silage (STPS) on productive performance of male Barki sheep under arid and salinity conditions of Southern Sinai, Egypt. Sixteen male Barki sheep (31.42 ±1.79 kg and 4 months age) were randomly divided into two equal groups (8 each). The first group (control) was fed 40% berseem hay (BH) from total ration and served as control. The second group (STPS) was fed ad liptum salt tolerant plants silage (Atriplex nummularia 50%, Fodder beet 35% and Pearl millet 10%) and the final mixture was sprayed with 5% molasses. All experimental lambs were fed concentrate feed mixture (CFM) as 60% percentage for total rations according to nutrient requirements. Results revealed that wide variations in chemical composition of the experimental roughages. It can be seen that STPS have lower contents of Dry matter (DM), Organic matter (OM), Crude protein (CP), Natural detergent fiber (NDF), Acid detergent fiber (ADF), than BH. However, STPS was higher than BH in ash content. Voluntary feed intake showed not significant differences between the two experimental groups of total and CFM intake. However, STPS group had lower (P< 0.05) roughage intake than control group. Animals fed STPS had higher (P<0.05) crude protein digestibility than the control group. Moreover, there were not significant differences between the two experimental groups of DM, CF, NDF and ADF digestibility. Feeding STPS lowered (P<0.05) free drinking, fecal, urinary and total water execration than control group. Ruminal parameters declared that, there were no significant (P< 0.05) differences in pH values, ammonia nitrogen concentration and total volatile fatty acids concentrations. Commonly, all ruminal parameters in the present study were within normal range of sheep. Blood biochemistry parameters showed significant (P<0.05) increase only for total proteins in control group compared to STPS group. Vastly, all values of blood biochemistry were within the normal ranges. Results of blood picture parameters except for WBC's (significantly decreased for STPS group) were not affected (P< 0.05) by the experimental rations fed to lambs. Weights of fattened lambs are didn't appear any significant (P<0.05) differences between groups. On the other hand, the cheapest price of roughage for STPS group reflected positively on economical evaluation than that resulted by BH. It could be concluded that feeding salt tolerant plants silage without serious nutritional hazards, would be an avenue to overcome the problem of feedstuff shortage prevailed under arid and salinity conditions of Sinai, Egypt.
Effect of Feeding Different Sources of Energy on Performance of Goats Fed Saltbush in Sinai
Journal of American Science , 2011
Feeding halophytes is a feasible solution to minimize the problem of feed shortage in arid and semiarid areas of Egypt. This work aimed to investigate the effect of feeding goats on fresh Atriplex nummularia which is grown naturally and cultivated in Sinai on performance of growing goats when added with different sources of energy supplementation (concentrate feed mixture CFM, ground barley grains or ground date stones and mixture of these materials) on nutrients digestibility, nitrogen balance, water utilization and some rumen and blood metabolites. The experiment was performed on twenty eight of growing goats (six months old) with mean body weight 16 ± 0.38 Kg were divided into four equal groups for 105 days. The diets were given at the basis of 60% concentrat for growth requirements , roughages were offered as ad-lib. The roughages were berseem hay in T1 (control group) or fresh Atriplex nummularia in T2, T3 and T4 whereas the energy supplements were concentrate feed mixture (CFM) in T1, ground date stones in T2, ground barley grains in T3 and a mixture of 50% ground barley grains with 50% ground date stones in T4. Results obtained revealed that inclusion of barley grains in T3 group improved DMI of Atriplex than that in T1, T2 and T4 groups. The highest body weight gain was recorded by animals in T1 and T3 compared to those of the other treatments. In addition Intakes of TDN and DCP were maximum in T1 and T3. The maximum apparent digestion coefficients of OM, CP, EE and NFE were recorded by animals in T3 while those of DM and CF were digested much better by animals in T1. TDN% and DCP% were increased in T1 followed by T4. All animals were in positive nitrogen balance. The maximum values of total water intakes were recorded for animals in T2 whereas the lowest values for animals in T3 with significant differences. Serum creatinine, total protein, globulin and AST levels were not affected by diet type and they were within the normal ranges. Also a sampling time factor was detected. Ruminal ammonia-nitrogen and total volatile fatty acids revealed significant variations before feeding and 6 hrs post feeding. The feed cost of daily gain (L.E)/ kg was achieved for animals fed ground date stone in T2 (L.E 0.860) which was lower than T4, T3 and T1 (L.E. 1.255, 1.273 and 1.290) respectively. In conclusion, barley grains or ground date stones or their mixture improved the nutrients utilization and intake of Atriplex. Utilization of such halophytic plants supplemented with non-conventional energy supplements could be recommended to enhance feed materials availability all-round year and to improve animal performance as well under arid and saline conditions of Sinai.