Effect of Number of Stylosanthes Hamata Rows on Herbage Yield, Nutritive Quality and Performance of Wad Sheep Fed Native Panicum Maximum

Abstract

The effect of number of Stylosanthes hamata rows on herbage yield and nutritive quality of native Panicum maximum was assessed at Teaching and Research Farm of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology Ogbomoso, Oyo State in the derived Savannah Zone of Nigeria.  The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with each plot replicated thrice. Stylosanthes hamata seeds were interplanted with native Panicum at 8weeks cut back    of establishment using different inter-sown spacing of 25cm, 16.7cm and 12.5cm with 1row, 2rows and 3rows of legume respectively. Parameters investigated at 12weeks old on native Panicum were biomass yield, tillers number and height, leaf length and width, chemical and mineral compositions. The grass herbage harvested from experimental plot were fed as sole diets to West African dwarf ram to determine feed intake (g/d/kg ^0.75), nutrient digestibility (g/kg) and weight gain (g/h/d). Results showed that herbage yield, chemical and mineral composition of Panicum at 12weeks old improved. Biomass yield (383000kg/ha), number of tillers (33.00), tiller height (140.14cm), leaf length (51.37cm) and leaf width (2.38cm) were significantly higher for native Panicum inter planted with 2 and 3rows of Stylosanthes hamata.  Crude protein (9.85%) and gross energy (3.13kca/kg) content of Panicum inter planted with 2 and 3rows of legume spacing were (P<0.05) higher than 1 row. P (0.20%), K (0.36 %), Ca (0.32%), Mg (0.25 mg/100g), Fe ( 270.30 mg/100g), Zn (10.00 mg/100g),  and Cu ( 2.00 mg/kg ), of Panicum inter planted at 2 and 3rows of Stylosanthes hamata spacing were (P<0.05) better than other. The feed intake (43.70 g/d/kg ^0.75), nutrient digestibility (79.67 g/kg) and weight gain (53.6 g/h/d) of animals fed Panicum interplanted with 3rows of Stylosanthes hamata was significantly (P<0.05) highest compared to its counterpart. This study revealed that intercropping of Stylosanthes hamata with native Panicum at 2 and 3 inter rows spacing promoted higher herbage yield and nutritive value for the Panicum maximum. Animals fed with this as sole diet experienced higher weight gain.

Keywords: Stylosanthes hamata, Panicum maximum, number of row, feed intakes, herbage yield, Nutritive value, Wad Sheep