Abstract:
The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of soybean or groundnut straw replacement for hay on feed intake, nutrient utilization, live weight change and carcass characteristics, of Gumuz sheep at Pawe Agricultural Research Centre. Thirty yearling male intact Gumuz sheep with initial body weight of 18.91 ± 2.6 kg (mean ± SD) were used in the experiment. The study consists of 90 days feeding trial and 7 days of digestibility trial after acclimatization of 15 and 3 days for the treatment feed and caring of faecal collection bag, respectively, followed by evaluation of carcass characteristics at the end. The experimental design used was randomized complete block design. The experimental animals were grouped in to six blocks of five animals in each block based on their initial BW and each animal within each block was randomly assigned to one of the five treatment diets; namely, Hay alone basal diet (control treatment; T1), 50% Hay + 50% soybean straw(T2), 50% Hay + 50% groundnut straw(T3), 25% Hay + 75% groundnut straw(T4), and 25% Hay + 75% soybean straw(T5). For all treatment groups 172g of toasted soybean grain and 5% of daily feed intake molasses was given with the same amount throughout the experimental period. Water and mineral lick were available free choice. Natural pasture hay, soybean straw and groundnut straw contained 7.12, 4.39, and 8.08% CP, respectively. The total DM intake of T1, T3 and T4 was higher (P<0.001) than T2. T3 was significantly higher than T2 and T5. The CP intake was higher in T3 and T4 than other treatment groups. The NDF intake of T2 was lower (P<0.005) than T3 and similar to T1, T4 and T5. Higher (P<0.001) intake of ADF was obtained for T3, T4 and T5 than T1 and T2. Apparent digestibility of DM was higher (P>0.01) in T3 than T2 and T5. But no significance difference was observed among T1, T2, T4 and T5. Apparent digestibility of all nutrients was numerically higher (P<0.01) in T3 and T4. The average daily body weight gains (ADG) of T3 (91.48 g/d) was higher (P<0.01) than T2 (58.5), whereas T1, T3, T4 and T5 exhibited similar daily body weight gain. There was no difference in FCE between treatments. The hot carcass weight of sheep in T3 and T4 were higher (P<0.01) than T5. Based on feed intake, digestibility, body weight change and carcass characteristics in the current study soybean and groundnut straw can replace natural pasture hay in different proportions.
