Ngongoni N.T., Mwale M., Mapiye C., Moyo M.T., Hamudikuwanda H., Titterton M.
Animal Science Department, University of Zimbabwe, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; Department of Livestock and Wildlife Management, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe; Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, P. Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa
Ngongoni, N.T., Animal Science Department, University of Zimbabwe, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Mwale, M., Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa, Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, P. Bag X1314, Alice 5700, South Africa; Mapiye, C., Department of Livestock and Pasture Science, University of Fort Hare, Alice, South Africa; Moyo, M.T., Department of Livestock and Wildlife Management, Midlands State University, Gweru, Zimbabwe; Hamudikuwanda, H., Animal Science Department, University of Zimbabwe, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe; Titterton, M., Animal Science Department, University of Zimbabwe, Mt Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe
An experiment was conducted to determine intake and liveweight gain of sheep fed maize, sorghum, lablab-maize and lablab-sorghum silages (20 and 40% lablab) in a completely randomised design with 6 treatments. The maize and sorghum were mixed with lablab before ensiling and the silages were fed to sheep for 21 days. Silage intake increased with increase in legume inclusion level (P<0.05). Intake of maize-based silages was higher than that of sorghum-based silages. While sheep fed the straight cereal diets lost weight, liveweight change improved as the level of lablab inclusion increased (P<0.05). The findings confirm that legume inclusion with maize and sorghum forages when ensiling improves silage intake and enhances ruminant animal performance. Long-term feeding experiments using a combination of cereals and legumes with different ruminant species are required to validate these preliminary findings.
