Performance of local (Yankasa) rams fed diets containing varying levels of <i>Gmelina arborea</i> leaves (GML) and <i>Desmodium</i> forage (df) supplemented with concentrate

Abstract

A feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the performance of Yankasa rams fed diets containing varying levels of Gmelina arborea (GmL) leaves and Desmodium foliage (DF) supplemented with concentrate for a period of 56 days. Sixteen (16) Yankasa rams, with an average age of 18 months and initial mean body weight of 18 kg were used in a completely randomized design experiment. The animals were alloted to 4 treatments (T1, T2, T3 and T4) containing Desmodium and Gmelina at 100: 0%, 25:75%, 75:25 % and 0:100 % levels respectively .Mean feed intake was
significantly (p<0.05) higher for animals in T4 (0.47±0.04 kg) and T2 (0.45 ± 0.03 kg) than for those in T1 (0.42 ± 0.03 Kg) and T3 (0.43± 0.03 kg). Similarly, final live body weight gain (FLBWG) was significantly better (P < 0.05) in T4 (2.95 ± 0.15 kg) and T2 (2.50 ± 0.12 kg) than in T1 (1.50 ± 0.02 kg) and T3 (1.75 ± 0.08 kg). The lower Total Ash (TA)
content (4.70 % ) observed in T4 appeared to have enhanced higher digestibility in T1 (96.03%). The result of this study suggests that Yankasa rams, when offered liberal concentrate supplement with 100% level of inclusion of Gmelina leaves, or a combination of 25 % Desmodium and 75 % Gmelina inclusion in the ration, would give satisfactory performance.