Solomon Melaku

In vitro and in situ evaluation of selected multipurpose trees, wheat bran and Lablab purpureus as potential feed supplements to tef (Eragrostis tef) straw

In vitro and in situ evaluations of feed samples were carried out at Debre Zeit Research Station (Ethiopia) of the International Livestock Research Institute. The feed samples consisted of tef straw, wheat bran, dried Lablab purpureus, and dried foliage of the multipurpose trees (MPT), namely Sesbania sesban 1198, Sesbania sesban 15019, Acacia angustissima 15132, Leucaena pallida 14203, and mixtures of S. sesban 1198 + L. pallida 14203; S. sesban 15019 + L. pallida 14203; S. sesban 1198 + A.angustissima 15132; S. sesban 15019 + L. pallida 14203 at a ratio of 2:1. The objectives of the study were to assess the nutritive value of the feed samples and to also consider their potential as supplements to tef straw. The MPTs contained higher crude protein (CP) (216-278 g kg -1 dry matter (DM)), and lower neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (204-338 g kg -1 DM) than wheat bran and L. purpureus. Anti-nutritive factors such as soluble phenolics and fiber bound condensed tannins were high in A. angustissima 15132 and L. pallida 14203, respectively. Wheat bran produced significantly more gas (P < 0.001) than either sole or mixtures of MPTs, but the rate of gas production was significantly greater ( P < 0.001) for the MPTs than for wheat bran. Significantly lower (P < 0.05) extent and rate of gas production were observed in sole A. angustissima 15132 than in its mixtures with both accessions of S, sesban. L. pallida 14203 yielded significantly lower (P < 0.05) in vitro ammonia than its mixtures with both accessions of S. sesban. Sole L. pallida 14203 and A. angustissima 15132 had significantly lower (P < 0.05) in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in situ potential and effective degradability of DM and nitrogen (N) than their respective mixtures with both accessions of S. sesban. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) and NDF had a strong negative impact on the rapidly degradable and potential degradability of DM (P < 0.001), whereas neutral detergent fiber bound N (NDF-N) significantly limited (P < 0.05) the rate and effective degradability of DM, as well as the extent and rate of in vitro gas production. IVDMD was also negatively influenced by contents of NDF (P < 0.01), ADF and acid detergent lignin (ADL) (P < 0.05). In situ extent of DM degradability, potential and effective degradability of DM were positively correlated (P < 0.01) with IVDMD, and the rate of in vitro gas production was also positively correlated (P < 0.05) with the rate of in situ DM degradability. It is concluded that all the MATs and their mixtures have desirable characteristics as potential feed supplements to tef straw compared with wheat bran or L. purpureus. Within the MPTs, A. angustissima 15132 and L. pallida 14203 could be inferior supplements to tef straw compared to S. sesban 1198 or S. seshan 15019. However, mixing both accessions of S. Sesban with either A. angustissima 15132 or L. pallida 14203 has the potential of improving the utilization of the latter MPTs. Moreover, it is concluded that in vitro gas production, in situ DM degradation and IVDMD methods could be alternatively used to evaluate the nutritive value of feeds similar to those used in this study.

Feed intake, digestibility, body weight and carcass parameters of Afar rams fed tef (Eragrostis tef) straw supplemented with graded levels of concentrate mix

The experiment was conducted at Alamata Agricultural Research Center, Ethiopia using 20 Afar rams with an initial body weight (BW) of 18.2 ± 1.76 (mean ± SD) kg. The objectives were to study the effect of supplementation with concentrate mix consisting of wheat bran (WB), noug seed cake (NSC) and sesame seed cake (SSC) at the ratio of 2:1:1 on dry matter (DM) basis, respectively on feed intake, digestibility, BW gain and carcass parameters of Afar rams fed tef (Eragrostis tef) straw basal diet. The experiment was arranged with four treatments and five replications in a randomized complete block design. The treatments included feeding sole tef straw (T1, control), and daily supplementation with the concentrate mix offered at 150 (T2, low), 250 (T3, medium) and 350 (T4, high) g DM per head. Total DM intake, crude protein (CP) digestibility, daily BW gain (P < 0.001), DM and organic matter (OM) digestibility, and carcass parameters (P < 0.05) were higher in the supplemented than in the control treatment. Intake of tef straw reduced as the level of supplementation increased, whereas the contrary was true for CP intake. Performance in carcass parameters was better for the medium compared to the low level of concentrate mix supplementation. Moreover, the medium level of supplementation did not substitute tef straw intake. Therefore, it is concluded that the medium level of concentrate mix supplement maintained the utilization of the roughage feed and resulted in better carcass parameters.

Matching Livestock Systems with Available Feed Resources in the Bale Highlands of Ethiopia

The quantity and quality of feed resources in relation to the livestock population were assessed in the Bale Highlands of Ethiopia. Crop residues and stubble accounted for 74% of the feed supply. Crude protein (CP) and in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) were higher (P < 0.001) for feed from natural pasture than for crop residues. Fibre content was higher (P < 0.05) for crop residues and stubble. The feed available per household satisfied the maintenance DM requirement of the livestock. The dominant feed resources throughout the year met 131% of the maintenance metabolizable energy (ME) requirement of the livestock per household. However, CP was deficient even for maintenance, meeting only 87% of the maintenance requirement of the animals and indicating the need for supplementation.

Feed Intake, Digestibility and Live Weight Change of Lambs Fed Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana) Straw Supplemented With Atella, Noug Seed (Guizotia abyssinica) Cake and Their Mixtures

Abstract Feed intake, digestibility and body weight change of lambs fed finger millet (Eleusine coracana) straw basal diet supplemented with atella (traditional brewery residue), noug seed (Guizotia abyssinica) cake and mixtures of atella and noug seedcake (NSC) was studied using twenty five yearling male lambs of Ethiopian Highland sheep breed with average initial body weight (BW) of 16.4 ± 1.1 kg (Mean ± SD). The lambs were grouped into five blocks of five animals, and fed with finger millet straw alone (T1), finger millet straw + atella (T2), finger millet straw + mixture of 70% atella: 30% NSC (T3), finger millet straw + mixture of 30% atella: 70% NSC (T4), and finger millet straw + NSC (T5). The supplements were offered at the rate of 300 g/d during the feeding and digestibility trials of 90 and 7 days, respectively. Daily feed intake and body weight change of lambs was measured. Supplementation of atella, NSC and their mixtures increased (P < 0.05) the intakes of dry matter (DM) and crude protein (CP) of the total feed. The intake of finger millet straw (393 g/d) DM for lambs in T1 was higher (P < 0.001) as compared to finger millet straw intake by lambs in T4 (353.5 g/d) and T5 (337.8 g/d). Lambs in T5 had the highest (P < 0.05) CP intake of 101 g/d followed by T4, T3 and T2 with 91, 84 and 73 g/d, respectively. The digestibility of DM, OM and CP, as well as the daily BW gain was higher (P < 0.05) for supplemented than for the control (-23.3 g/d). It was concluded that supplementation of lambs with atella alone resulted in lower (P < 0.05) daily BW gain of 51 g/d as compared to BW gain of 63 g/d and 60 g/d as a result of supplementation with a mixture of 30% atella: 70% NSC and sole NSC.

Effect of Concentrate Mix Supplementation to Urea-Treated and Ensiled Maize Stover on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Nitrogen Balance of Hararghe Highland Sheep

The effects of feeding different levels of concentrate mixture to sheep fed urea treated maize stover basal diet on feed intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance were evaluated at Haramaya University. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design using twenty male Hararghe Highland sheep with a mean initial body weight (BW) of 17.2 ± 1.74 (mean ± SD) kg. The animals were grouped into five blocks based on their initial BW and randomly assigned to four treatments within the block. The levels of supplementation were 0 g (control, T1), 150 g (low, T2), 250 g (medium, T3) and 350 g (high, T4) of the concentrate mix prepared from brewers dried grain, peanut cake and wheat bran at a ratio of 1:1:3 on dry matter basis, respectively. Hundred kg (dry matter basis) of chopped maize stover was treated with 4 kg of urea dissolved in 100 liters of water and ensiled for 21 days before used as a basal diet. The urea treated maize stover (UTMS) was offered ad libitum and water and mineral block were available to the experimental animals all the time throughout the experiment. Intake trial was conducted for 90 days. Digestibility and nitrogen balance trials were carried out for 7 days following 3 days of adaptation to the metabolic cage and carrying of the fecal collection bag following 15 days of adaptation. Urea treatment improved the crude protein (CP) content of maize stover by about 33% (from 5.8 to 7.7%). The UTMS intake was lower (P < 0.05) for the sheep in T4 (665 ± 16 g DM day-1) than in T1 (768 ± 16 g DM day-1) and T3 (754 ± 16 g DM day-1). Daily DM intake per kg W0.75 was higher (P < 0.01) for T3 (105.7 ± 1.7 g day-1) and T4 (104.1 ± 1.7 g day-1) than T1 (91.9 ± 1.7 g day-1). Total CP intake per kg W0.75 (7.8, 10.4, 12.7, and 13.8 (SEM = ± 0.16), for T1, T2, T3, and T4, respectively) increased with increasing level of supplementation (P < 0.01). Crude protein digestibility was lower (P < 0.05) in non-supplemented sheep (0.42 ± 0.04) than the supplemented sheep (0.65, 0.71, and 0.70 (SEM = ± 0.04) for T2, T3 and T4, respectively). Nitrogen intake during digestibility trial (6.4, 11.2, 14.4, and 17.5 (SEM = ± 0.3) g day-1 for T1, T2, T3 and T4, respectively) increased with increasing levels of supplementation (P < 0.001). Nitrogen retention was positive and higher in the supplemented groups (8.2, 7, and 4.4 (SEM = ± 0.63) for T4, T3, and T2, respectively) than in T1 (-0.02 ± 0.63 g day-1), which has a negative nitrogen balance (P < 0.01). The result indicated that supplementation improved feed intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance, but feeding sole urea treated maize stover failed to support sufficient nitrogen intake which might have resulted in body reserve mobilization to meet the maintenance requirement of the animal.