Abstract:
A study was conducted to evaluate supplementation effect of graded levels of faba bean hull
(FBH), maize grain (MG) and wheat bran (WB) mixture on feed intake, digestibility and
growth performance of Bonga lamb fed a basal diet of natural pasture hay (NPH). Twenty
yearling male lambs with an initial body weight of 21.55 kg ± 2.41 (Mean ± SD)” were
blocked into five based on their initial body weight and animals within a block were randomly
assigned to each treatment. Treatments were ad libitum NPH alone (T1) or supplemented with
a ratio of 1:1:2 concentrate mixtures of FBH, MG and WB and animals were offered 150gm
(T2), 250gm (T3), and 350 gm (T4) of the concentrate mixture. The feeding and digestibility
trials were conducted for 90 and 7 days, respectively. The total DM and OM intake of
nutrients were in the order of T1<T2<T3=T4 (P<0.001). The CP intake of lamb was
significantly different among treatments and it was improved by supplementation (P<0.001).
The NDF and ADF intake increased for the supplemented group of animals as compared with
control group (p<0.001). Apparent digestibility of DM, OM, NDF and ADF improved
(P<0.001) with supplementation (T1<T2<T3=T4)) and the CP was lower only for T2
compared to the other treatments (P<0.05) and also the ash and ADL was higher for T4
compared to the other treatments (P<0.01).The average daily body weight gain of lambs were
35.8, 51.1, 81.1 and 84.4 g/day for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively and it was higher in T3
and T4 than T1 and T2 (p<0.001). The FCE of lambs were 0.06, 0.07, 0.09 and 0.09, for T1,
T2, T3, and T4, respectively and it was higher in T3 and T4 as compared to T1 and T2
(p<0.05). The mid-level supplemented group (T3) is a higher profit margin than low level
supplemented (T2) and high level supplemented (T4) groups in the order which was
accompanied by a higher marginal rate of return (T3>T4>T2). Therefore, it could be
concluded that supplementation with FBH, MG, and WB at a ratio of 1:1:2 could be an
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alternative supplementation strategy to a basal diet of natural pasture hay. For optimal
performance and partial budget analysis results CM of 250gm/lamb/day is recommended.
