The experiment was conducted to evaluate the supplementary value of dried and ground Ficus sur fruits (FSF) mixed at different proportions with oats grain (OG) on carcass yield, carcass composition, and pH concentration. Thirty Hararghe highland lambs with initial live weights of 14.32±0.25kg (mean±SEM) were used for the experiment. The experimenta sheep were grouped into 5 based on their initial body weight. Thus, the experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of 5 treatments and 6 replications. The treatments were: ad libitum natural pasture hay (control); 100 [100FSF]; 67%FSF:33%OG [67FSF]; 33%FSF:67%OG [33FSF]; 0%FSF:100%OG [0FSF], which were randomly assigned to the sheep in each block. Noug seed ( cake (NSC) was supplemented at isonitrogenous levels to all treatments and control d No significant (P>0.05) effect of the dietary treatments was observed on carcass parameters and most of the edible and non-edible offal components. The carcass of lambs fed 100FSF diet consist the highest (P<0.001) moisture and crude protein (CP), bu extract (EE) as compared to those consumed 0FSF diet. The pH of the carcass consistently declined from the initial measure taken at 45 minutes post taken at 24 hours. Carcass of lamb fed treatment diets 67FSF a maintained pH value within the desirable range. Hence, it can be concluded that feeding FSF to Hararghe highland sheep as a supplement to natural pasture hay based diet with sufficient protein supplement improved carcass yield and pH

Article InformationAn experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of inclusion of dried Cafeteria leftover (DCLO) at various levels in concentrate mix (CM) on feed intake, digestibility, average daily gain (ADG), feed conversion ratio (FCR), carcass characteristics, and economic benefits of weaned pigs at Haramaya university piggery. Twenty Yorkshire pigs with initial live weight of 19.89±0.297kg (mean±SE) were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments in a completely randomized block design each with five replicates. The experimental rations were sole CM (mixture of maize grain, wheat short, wheat bran, noug seed cake, soybean mill, vitamin premix and salt), replacement of the concentrate with DCLO at different proportions as (33%CM and 67% DCLO; 67% CM and 33% DCLO) and feeding with only sole DCLO. The mean feed intake ranged 1.6-1.82kg/day and ADG was 0.4-0.64kg/day. The least feed intake was for sole DCLO (P<0.05) and the highest for 67% CM:33%DCLO. The FCR (w/w) was lowest (P<0.05) for pigs fed 33% DCLO diet, and pigs fed 67% DCLO:33%CM achieved highest FCR. Crude protein digestibility did not differ between treatments, but DM, EE and CF digestibility increased with increasing level of DCLO in the diets. The mean carcass weight (43.7kg-57.02kg) was highest in 67% CM but lowest in sole DCLO. Back fat thickness (2.4cm-3.2cm (SEM=±0.03)) was lowest in sole CM but highest in sole DCLO. The highest and lowest (P<0.05) rib eye area (23.9 cm 2 -31.9cm 2 (SEM=±0.81)) were recorded for sole CM and sole DCLO, respectively. Cost of feed per kg weight gain was declined significantly (P<0.01) with increasing level of DCLO. Despite the lower production cost of sole DCLO groups, the pigs showed lower performance and this must have contributed to lowest net return of the groups. Thus, it is concluded that DCLO can replace the conventional concentrate mix up to 67% without adverse effect on pig performance.

Article InformationThis study was undertaken with the objectives of evaluating the effect of dried and ground Vernonia (V. amygdalina) leaves and ground sorghum (S. bicolor) grain mixture supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, body weight change, feed conversion efficiency of Horro lambs fed a basal diet of natural pasture hay. The feeding and digestibility trials were conducted using twenty male lambs of similar yearling age and average body weight of 15.4 ±0.58kg. The lambs were blocked into five blocks of four animals each based on their initial body weight and randomly allocated to four dietary treatments from each block giving five animals per treatment. Treatment 1 was fed on grass hay alone, while treatments 2, 3, and 4 received graded levels (150, 300 and 450g, respectively) of a mixture of dried and ground Vernonia leaves and ground sorghum grain mixture as supplements to the grass hay basal diet. Supplementation with dried Vernonia leaves and sorghum grain mixture improved feed intake, nutrient digestibility and body weight gain of the lambs as compared to the unsupplemented animals. The body weight gain of the lambs was lowest in T1 (7.6g/day), intermediate in T2 (40 g/day) and highest in T3 (81.3 g/day) and T4 (93.8 g/day) (P < 0.01). It was concluded that supplementation of vernonia leaves and sorghum grain mixture improved feed intake and digestibility of the diet and body weight gain of the lambs. In general increased performance was observed with increasing level of supplementation. However, cost-benefit analysis is required to determine the optimum level of supplementation, particularly as the level of supplementation exceeds 300 g.

This study was conducted to examine the effect of feeding a mixture of different proportions of Ficus sur fruits (FSF) and ground maize grain (MG) on intake, digestibility, growth, and blood profile on Yorkshire pigs. Dietary treatments comprised 100 % FSF and 0 % MG (100FSF), 67 % FSF and 33 % MG (67FSF), 33 % FSF and 67 % MG (33FSF), and 0 % FSF and 100 % MG (0FSF). Noug cake and soybean meal were included to meet nutrient requirement of the animals at isonitrogenous (18 % crude protein (CP)) level with graded levels of energy. Twenty pigs with an average initial weight of 27.75±1.4 kg were grouped according to their body weight, and animals from each group were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments. There was no difference (P>0.05) in dry matter, crude protein, and metabolizable energy intakes among the treatments. Organic matter (P<0.05), ether extract (P<0.01), and nitrogen-free extract (NFE) intakes were higher (P<0.0001) for pigs fed with 0FSF than 100FSF. The digestibility of dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, and NFE did not differ (P>0.05) among treatments. However, organic matter digestibility (P<0.05) was highest for pigs in 0FSF than 100FSF. Conversely, crude fiber digestibility was in the reverse trend. No significant differences were observed in body weight gain among treatments (P>0.05). The blood counts and sera metabolites of pigs across the treatments fall within the optimum range. Packed cell volume (PCV) and hemoglobin (Hgb) were higher, but creatinine and cholesterol concentrations were lower in 100FSF than 0FSF indicating better health conditions in pigs fed with FSF. It is, therefore, concluded that feeding FSF has comparable effects with MG on the metabolic performance, growth, and blood profile of pigs.

Article Information Panicum coloratum (PC) and Stylosanthes guianensis (SG) mixed pasture was established to assess the effect of seed proportion and planting pattern on Dry Matter Yield (DMY), compatibility and nutrient content of the mixed stand. Seeds of PC and SG were mixed as 50%PC+50% SG and 25% PC+75% SG and sown in same row, alternate row and broad casting pattern. A randomized complete block design with four replications was used to layout the experiment. The 50%PC+50%SG proportion resulted in significantly (p<0.01) higher DMY for PC (p<0.0001) while the 75% SG+25%PC mixture resulted in significantly higher DMY of SG (p<0.0001). For PC and SG, and total herbage yield, an alternate row planting pattern gave significantly highest (p<0.0001) yield, followed by broadcasting. Planting along the same row resulted in inferior values (p<0.0001) for all parameters, which perhaps is induced by the severity of competition between species. The RY (Relative Yield), LER (Land Equivalent Ratio), and CR (Competitive Ratio) values also imply similar trends for DMY of the component species. The legume DMY steadily increased from first to third year for the 75% SG+25% PC proportion. It can thus be concluded that the 50%PC+50SG proportion sown in alternate pattern was favorable for DMY in PC whereas the 25%PC+ 75%SG proportion combined with alternate row pattern was appropriate for the legume. Intercropping SG into PC sward at 25%PC+75%SG mixed proportions also improved the CP content, IVDMD and reduced NDF content.