Effect of supplementation with leguminous crop residues or concentrates on the XXXX and performance of Kirdi sheep.

@entity2708 @entity1017 @entity299 @entity24715 @entity579 @entity11314 @entity2798
Twenty young Kirdi (West African Dwarf) rams, averaging 22 kg live weight and 15 months of age, were randomly assigned to four feeding groups of 5 animals each. The groups were subjected to an 8-week feeding trial to determine the effect of different protein supplements on their @entity2798 of @entity579 straw and on their performance. The animals in one of the groups were maintained on a daily basal diet of @entity579 straw given ad libitum and 250 g of @entity579 bran per animal (control). Other groups were fed the basal diet, supplemented with 300 g of groundnut haulms (GH diet), 45 g of @entity2708 seed cake (CSC diet) or 210 g of chopped @entity11314 vines ( @entity24715 diet) per animal per day. The average daily weight gains of the animals feeding on the control, GH, CSC and @entity24715 diets were 20.00, 48.93, 52.14 and 49.29 g, respectively. The gains in live weight of the supplemented groups did not differ significantly (p > 0.05), but there was a difference (p < 0.05) in live @entity1017 between the supplemented groups and the control. The differences in intake of @entity579 straw among the groups were highly significant (p < 0.01). @entity2708 seed cake increased (p < 0.01) the intake, while feeding crop residues tended to depress the intake of @entity579 straw. Variations in the height at withers, @entity299 and scapulo-ischial length did not differ significantly (p > 0.05) among the groups. In terms of live @entity1017 and intake of @entity579 straw, @entity2708 seed cake was the most effective supplement, but, since the crop residues are more readily available to farmers in this area of the country, they merit more attention.
