Effect of Different Levels of Noug (Guizotia Abyssinica) Seed Cake Supplementation on Growth Performance of Doyogena Sheep Fed Rhodes Grass Hay Basal Diet

The objective of the study was to evaluate the effect of different levels of Noug ( Guizotia Abyssinica ) seed cake supplementation on feed intake, digestibility and body weight change of Doyogena sheep fed Rhodes grass hay basal diet. The experimental period was 112 days including 90 days of feeding trial and 15 days of adaptation period. Twenty four lambs were assigned into six groups based on their body weight and randomly assigned to four treatments with replication of six sheep to each treatment. The experimental animals were fed on Rhodes grass hay as a basal diet. The treatments were: T1 (Hay ad libtium+ 200 g Wheat bran), T2 (Hay ad libtium +200 g Wheat bran + 150 g Noug cake), T3 (Hay ad libtium+200 g Wheat bran+175 g Noug cake) and T4 (Hay ad libtium+200 g Wheat bran+200 g Noug cake). Fecal samples were collected for 7 days after 3 days of familiarizing lambs to carry fecal bags. Significant (p< 0.001) differences were observed in total dry matter, organic matter and crude protein intakes among treatments. Intake increased as level of noug seed cake supplementation increased. The dry matter, organic matter, crude protein digestibility and feed conversion efficiency were significantly (p< 0.001) higher with increased level of noug seed cake. Higher (p< 0.001) final body weight and average daily body weight gains were observed in sheep supplemented with highest level of Noug seed cake. Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that supplementation of lambs with 200 g of Noug seed cake was potentially feasible and economically beneficial. Key words : Digestibility, Doyogena, Intake, Noug seed cake, Wheat bran, Weight gain DOI: 10.7176/ALST/81-01 Publication date: August 31 st 2020