Effect of on farm supplementation of dried Sesbaniasesban (L.) leaf on performance of Abergelle rams

Abstract

The objectives of the study were to evaluate the effect of supplementation of dried Sesbaniasesban (L) leaf on supplement intake, body weight gain and cost benefit analysis of the feeding regimes for Abergellerams under farmer’s management system in Tigray region, northern Ethiopia. The experiment was carried using 21 yearling intact Abergelle rams with an  initial body weight of 22.83 + 3.11Kg (mean + standard deviation). The experiment comprised 90 days of feeding trial after 14 days of adaption period. Farmers having each 3 yearling intact Abergellerams with similar body weight were first purposively identified and then from the identified farmers 7 farmers were randomly selected. Randomized complete block design with 4 treatments and 7 replications was applied. The treatments were local feeding practices (T1), local feeding practices + 250 g -1 day dried Sesbaniasesbania leaf (T2) and local feeding practices + 300 g -1 daydried Sesbaniasesbania leaf (T3). The CP of dried Sesbaniasesban leaf was 23.34%. The DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF and ADL intakes from the Sasbaniasesban leaf were significantly higher (p<0.0001) for T3 than T2. The average daily gain of Abergelle rams in T2 and T3 were significantly higher (p<0.0001) than T1 but similar in T2 and T3. The average daily gains were 28.98 g, 67.96 g and 75.71 g for T1, T2 and T3, respectively. Supplementation of dried Sesbaniasesba n leaf for Abergelle rams provide more profit compared to unsupplemented rams. Though T2 and T3 given comparable result in terms of body weight gain, the marginal rate of return suggested that supplementation of dried Sesbaniasesban leaf with 250 g -1 day than 300 g -1 day for Abergelle rams provided better economic gain and therefore, T2 is recommended as biological and economical sufficient supplementary regime for Abergelle rams.