Effect of feeding Sodium Hydroxide Treated Rice Hulls and Date Stones on the Reproductive Performances of Awassi Ewes

Fifty seven Awassi ewes, aged 2 – 3 years, were used in a completely randomized design and allocated to three different diets, ten weeks before mating. Synchronization was commenced mating, using progesterone impregnated intravaginal sponge. Diets 1 was concentrate feed only. Diets 2 included 60% concentrate plus 40% alkali treated rice hulls (50 NaOH in 1L water/kg DM) and diets 3 was composed of 30% concentrate plus 30% ground date stone plus 40% treated rice hulls. The experimental diets were fed four weeks before and four weeks after mating and also six weeks before lambing, at a level of 150% of the maintenance requirements. Between flushing and steaming up, ewes were fed alfalfa and green barley crop at a maintenance level. After lambing ewes were fed green alfalfa ad. Lib. And 500 g/day per ewe concentrate mixture for two weeks, followed by green alfalfa only. For six weeks daily feed intake and weekly live body weights were recorded. A balance trial was carried out using three Awassi rams in a 3x3 Latin square design. The type of the diets did not have a significant effect on ewes lambing percentage nor on lambs birth weight or growth rate, until eight weeks after lambing. However, date stone may have affected oestrus activity. The results suggest that using treated rice hulls and ground date stone up to 70% of concentrate diet was adequate to meet Awassi ewes requirement during mating and late pregnancy