Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria; Department of Animal Production Technology, Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Nigeria; Department of Animal Science, Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria
Olafadehan, O.A., Department of Animal Science, University of Abuja, Abuja, Nigeria; Okunade, S.A., Department of Animal Production Technology, Federal College of Wildlife Management, New Bussa, Nigeria; Njidda, A.A., Department of Animal Science, Bayero University, Kano, Kano State, Nigeria
This study evaluated effects of increasing levels of dried rumen contents (DRC) on voluntary intake, growth performance, digestibility, nutritive value, N utilization, microbial protein supply (MPS), and purine derivatives excretion (PDE) of lambs fed with Afzelia africana basal forage. Sixteen lambs (13.7 ± 0.1 kg body weight (BW)) were randomly assigned to one of the four eight diets containing 0, 200, 400 and 600 g DRC/kg dry matter (DM) in a completely random design. Intakes of concentrate, DM, crude protein (CP), organic matter (OM), digestible CP (DCP), digestible OM (DOM), digestible energy (DE) and metabolizable energy (ME), CP and OM digestibility, DOM, DCP, DE, ME, N intake and retention, weight gain, cost/kg BW gain, MPS and PDE increased with increasing DRC level up to 400 g/kg DRC and declined at 600 g/kg DRC (P < 0.05; 0.01). Feed conversion ratio and DM digestibility declined as DRC level increased from 0 to 400 g/kg and peaked at 600 g/kg DRC (P < 0.05; 0.01). Forage intake and DE/DCP ratio decreased (P < 0.05; 0.01) progressively with increasing DRC level. Results indicate that DRC can be incorporated up to 400 g/kg in a compounded ration for sheep. © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.
Afzelia africana; Bovinae; Ovis aries; nitrogen; analysis; analysis of variance; animal; animal food; animal food; animal husbandry; Bovinae; chemistry; controlled study; cost benefit analysis; diet; digestion; domestic sheep; growth, development and aging; metabolism; Nigeria; nutritional value; physiology; procedures; randomized controlled trial; ruminant stomach; stomach juice; veterinary; weight gain; Analysis of Variance; Animal Feed; Animal Husbandry; Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; Animals; Cattle; Cost-Benefit Analysis; Diet; Digestion; Gastrointestinal Contents; Nigeria; Nitrogen; Nutritive Value; Rumen; Sheep, Domestic; Weight Gain