Biomass production and nutritive value of Sida alba leaves fed to desert sheep

The study was established to study the effects of supplementation with Sida alba leaves on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, live body weight changes of Sudanese Desert lambs. Fifteen Lambs of 4-6 months old and weighing 18±500 kg were divided into three similar groups each with five animals. Seven days were allowed for adaptation. The lambs were weighed weekly for 8 weeks. Daily feed intake was obtained by subtracting the remained amounts from quantities offered the day before. Feces were collected at the last ten days for determination of nutrients digestibility coefficients via total feces collection method. The data were analyzed using analysis of variance. Differences among means were detected using least significant difference test. The results indicated that group II that was on natural grazing supplemented with Sida alba leaves consumed significantly (p<0.01) greater amount of feed compared to group I that was on the natural grazing only and group III supplemented with a concentrate ration feed intake was 1316,730, 1381,500 and 1207.650 g for group I, II and III, respectively. No significant differences (P≥0.05) in digestibility coefficients of all nutrients between group II and III but group I had lowers coefficients than II and III. Total and daily body weight was higher in group II and III when compared with group I. The biomass production was estimated to be 84.910 g/shrub or 1.697 per hectare based on a square meter space for a plant. It was concluded Sida alba leaves could support lambs on low quality grazing.