• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.58 no.6
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• pp.19.1-19.7
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• 2016

Background: Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata [L.]) is a legume cultivated throughout most tropical countries and is valued as food and feed for human and livestock respectively. The search for an improved cowpea variety has been on-going with the aim of improving traits such as grain yield, drought and pest resistance. But no information exist on the feeding value of these improved varieties. Phosphate (P) fertilizer application is recommended to augment grain yield in grain legumes but data on the effect of P fertilizer on haulm quality is limited. Results: Two separate experiments were conducted to determine the effect of P fertilizer dose on the nutritive value of haulms from different cowpea varieties (V). In experiment 1, effect of three P doses (30, 60 and 90 kg $P_2O_5/ha$) on in vitro gas production (IVGP) characteristics, concentrations of digestible organic matter (DOM), crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) of haulms from five cowpea varieties (Zaayura-SARC 4-75, Songotra-IT97K-499-35, Hewale-IT93K-192-4, IT99K 573-1-1 and Asomdwe-IT94K-410-2) were investigated using the $3(P){\times}5(V)$ factorial treatment arrangements in a completely randomized design. In experiment 2, the effects of two P doses (30 and 90 kg $P_2O_5/ha$) and two varieties (Zaayura-SARC 4-75 and Hewale-IT93K-192-4) on the voluntary feed intake, live weight, haematology and carcass characteristics of Djallonke lambs were also assessed using a $2(P){\times}2(V)$ factorial treatment arrangement. The $V{\times}P$ interaction significantly affected CP, NDF and ADF with CP concentration increasing with increase in P doses in Zaayura-SARC 4-75 and Asomdwe-IT94K-410-2. Whilst an increase (P < 0.05) in NDF was observed in Songotra-IT97K-499-35and Asomdwe-IT94K-410-2 as P doses increased, the other V only increased from P dose 30 to 60 kg/ha and declined at P dose 90 kg/ha. The ADF decreased (P < 0.05) with increase in P dose for all V with the exception of Songotra-IT97K-499-35. There was a significant V effect on DOM with the highest reported in Zaayura-SARC 4-75 (43.44 %). Daily DM intake, carcass length and blood urea nitrogen of the lambs were significantly affected by the V x P interaction. There was a significant V effect on globulin and P effect on live weight at slaughter, dressed weight, chuck, leg, loin, rib and flank and liver and lungs. Conclusion: It can be concluded that nutrient concentrations of cowpea haulms were positively influenced by different P dose and varieties with favorable effects on growth, haematology and carcass composition of lambs. Varieties Zaayura-SARC 4-75 and Hewale-IT93K-192-4 at P dose at 90 kg/ha are recommended to enhance growth performance and carcass yield of Djallonke lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.7
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• pp.983-987
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• 2003

Malpura and Kheri ewes (76) in their late gestation, weighing $34.40{\pm}0.95kg$ were randomly selected and divided into 4 groups of 19 each (G1, G2, G3 and G4). Ewes in all the groups were grazed on natural rangeland from 07.00 h to 18.00 h. Ewes in G1were maintained on sole grazing while ewes in G2, G3 and G4, in addition to grazing received concentrate mixture at the rate of 1% of their body weight during late gestation, early lactation and entire last quarter of pregnancy to early quarter of lactation, respectively. The herbage yield of the community rangeland was 0.82 metric ton dry matter/hectare. The diet consisted of (%) Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) bhusa, (59.2), Babool pods and leaves (17.2), Bajra (Pennisetum typhoides) stubbles (8.8), Doob (5.3), Aak (4.2) and others (5.3). The nutrient intake and its digestibility were higher (p<0.01) in G2, G3 and G4 as compared to G1 because of concentrate supplementation. The intakes of DM ($g/kg\;W{^0.75}$), DCP ($g/kg\;W{^0.75}$) and ME ($MJ/kg\;W{^0.75}$) were 56.7, 5.3 and 0.83; 82.7, 12.2 and 1.16; 82.7, 12.1 and 1.17 and 83.1, 12.3 and 1.18 in G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. The per cent digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF and cellulose was 57.9, 68.8, 68.7, 52.3, 37.5 and 68.4; 67.6, 76.1, 82.3, 60.6, 44.5 and 73.4; 67.6, 76.1, 81.5, 60.6, 44.8 and 74.5 and 67.6, 76.1, 82.3, 60.6, 44.7 and 73.3 in G1, G2, G3 and G4, respectively. The nutrient intake of G2, G3 and G4 ewes was sufficient to meet their requirements. The ewes raised on sole grazing lost weight at lambing in comparison to advanced pregnancy. However, ewes raised on supplementary feeding gained 1.9-2.5 kg at lambing. The birth weight of lambs in G2 (3.92) and G4 (4.07) was higher (p<0.01) than G1 (2.98), where as in G1 and G3 it was similar. The weight of lambs at 15, 45 and 60 days of age were higher in G2, G3 and G4 than in G1. Similarly, the average daily gain (ADG) after 60 days was also higher in G2, G3 and G4 than in G1. The milk-yield of lactating ewes in G2, G3 and G4 increased up to 150-250 g per day in comparison to G1. The birth weight, weight at 15, 30, 45 and 60 days, weight gain and ADG at 30 or 60 days was similar both in male and female lambs. It is concluded from this study that the biomass yield of the community rangeland is low and insufficient to meet the nutrient requirements of ewes during late gestation and early lactation. Therefore, it is recommended concentrate supplementation at the rate of 1% of body weight to ewes during these critical stages to enhance their production performance, general condition as well as birth weight and growth rate of lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.8
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• pp.1140-1149
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• 2015

This research aimed to define the energy requirement of Dorper and Hu Hybrid $F_1$ ewes 20 to 50 kg of body weight, furthermore to study energy requirement changes with age and evaluate the effect of age on energy requirement parameters. In comparative slaughter trial, thirty animals were divided into three dry matter intake treatments (ad libitum, n = 18; low restricted, n = 6; high restricted, n = 6), and were all slaughtered as baseline, intermediate, and final slaughter groups, to calculate body chemical components and energy retained. In digestibility trial, twelve ewes were housed in individual metabolic cages and randomly assigned to three feeding treatments in accordance with the design of a comparative slaughter trial, to evaluate dietary energetic values at different feed intake levels. The combined data indicated that, with increasing age, the net energy requirement for maintenance ($NE_m$) decreased from $260.62{\pm}13.21$ to $250.61{\pm}11.79kJ/kg^{0.75}$ of shrunk body weight (SBW)/d, and metabolizable energy requirement for maintenance (MEm) decreased from $401.99{\pm}20.31$ to $371.23{\pm}17.47kJ/kg^{0.75}$ of SBW/d. Partial efficiency of ME utilization for maintenance ($k_m$, 0.65 vs 0.68) and growth ($k_g$, 0.42 vs 0.41) did not differ (p>0.05) due to age; At the similar condition of average daily gain, net energy requirements for growth ($NE_g$) and metabolizable energy requirements for growth ($ME_g$) for ewes during late fattening period were 23% and 25% greater than corresponding values of ewes during early fattening period. In conclusion, the effect of age upon energy requirement parameters in the present study were similar in tendency with previous recommendations, values of energy requirement for growth ($NE_g$ and $ME_g$) for Dorper and Hu crossbred female lambs ranged between the NRC (2007) recommendation for early and later maturating growing sheep.