Effects of Different Feed Supplements on Nutrient Intake, Body Weight Gain and Economic Feasibility of Grazing Abera Sheep

Abstract

The study was carried out in Darra district of Abera Gelede village in Abera sheep type improvement substation with the aims of investigating the effects of supplementing concentrate and urea molasses feed block /UMB/ on intake and body weight gain of grazing Abera sheep. Thirty two yearling male Abera sheep with mean initial body weight of 21.93 ± 0.23 kg (mean ±SE) were taken from six Abera sheep improvement member co-operatives. The experiment was conducted using a complete randomized block design with four treatment diets and eight replications. The sheep were blocked based on their initial body weight into eight blocks and each of the four treatment diets were randomly assigned to each animal in each block. Dietary treatments comprised of  T(1)= grazing  control; T(2), wheat bran 66 %: noug seed cake 33 % and 1% salt; T(3),wheat bran 66 %: cotton seed cake 33 % and 1% salt, and (T4), urea molasses feed - block (wheat bran 25%, molasses 36%, cement 10%, noug seed cake 13%, urea 10%, salt 3%  and limestone 3%) .  A basal diet was natural grass grazing for 7hr. Three hundred gram concentrates mixture supplement and 100 gm UMB was given once a day at 8:00 AM at (0 %) and (25%) refusal for concentrate and UMB correspondingly. A 90-day growth experiments were conducted. There was significant difference (P<0.05) on body weight gain in T1, 19.25± 7.32 g/day, T2,73.75 ± 7.32 g/day and, T3 43.75± 7.32, and T4, 27.63 ± 7.32.  The total DM intake and Nutrient Intake was higher in T2 and T3 than UMB intake in T4groups.  269.46 gm/day for T 2 and 288.5gm/ day for T3 and 73.11gm /day for T4 respectively. As disclosed in partial budget analysis the marginal revenue was 1.55, 1.52, 1.40 and 1.44 ETB for all respective treatments.  It was concluded that 66% noug seed cake mixed with 33% wheat bran and 1% salt have  significant  short term weight gain and economically feasible for the areas where community based sheep improvements practicing and  small holder farmers.

Keywords:  Abera sheep, supplementation, weight gain; Urea molasses feed- block