Author/Authors :
Jadalla ، J. B. نويسنده Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Natural Resources & Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobeid, Sudan. , , Mekki ، D. M. نويسنده Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Natural Resources & Environmental Studies, University of Kordofan, Elobeid, Sudan. , , Mohamed ، T. A. نويسنده Departments of Animal Nutrition, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Shambat, Khartoum North, Sudan. ,
Abstract :
Nutrients utilization and sheep performance on the dry season natural grazing (NG) was studied using 18 Desert (Sudanese ecotype) rams of 1.5-2 years old weighing 30 kgs + 2.250) offered the (NG) alone, supplemented with sorghum grains (SG) or groundnut haulms (GNH). Total dry matter intake significantly (P < 01) increased from 932.1 when the (NG) was fed alone, to 1280.1 and 1246.2 g/day upon supplementation with (SG) and GNH respectively. The intake of the (NG) increased upon supplementation with (SG) from 932.1 to 999.1 g/day and decreased to 778.1g/day. Significant differences (P < 0.01) were also observed in all nutrients digestibility coefficients upon supplementation but no differences could be attributed to the type of supplement except for acid detergent fibre digestibility coefficients that increased significantly (P < 0.01) from 36.5 when fed un supplemented to 65.3 and 56.6 upon supplementation with (GNH) and (SG) respectively. Crude protein digestibility coefficients were also increased from minus 27.4 when the animals were fed un supplemented to 38.8 and 33.4 % upon supplementation with (SG) and (GNH) respectively. Likewise total digestible nutrients, (TDN), of the diets increased from 35.7 when (NG) feed alone to 61.6 and 54.7% upon supplementation with (SG) and (GNH) respectively. TDN intake also increased from 0.333 kg/day when fed un-supplemented to 0.68 and 0.79 kg TDN/day upon supplementation with (GNH) and (SG) respectively. The calculated ME intake increased from 1173.16 when NG was fed alone to 2358.4 and 2780.8. Mcal/day upon supplementation with (SG) and (GNH), respectively. It could be concluded that supplementation of sheep on (NG) with 468.2 DM of (GNH) was capable of keeping rams of 30 kgs at maintenance level throughout the dry season. Levels above the indicated quantity can be tried to evaluate the legume hays capacity to support productive levels.
