Effect of supplementing concentrate mixture with field pea hull on yearling ram lambs of local sheep: Nutrient intake, linear body measurements, and changes in body weight

The fattening of sheep has been recognized as a potentially profitable activity in the highlands of Ethiopia. However, feed shortage and  increasing prices for conventional feed ingredients and commercially formulated concentrate mixtures critically affect the fattening  practice of sheep in the country. So, this feeding trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of feeding field pea hull at different inclusion  levels with a concentrate mixture on feed intakes, nutrient utilization, linear body measurements, and body weight gain. Eighteen  yearling ram lambs were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments using a randomized complete block design. The dietary  treatments were T1 (control), fed native hay adlibitum + concentrate mixture formulated using only conventional feed ingredients (0%  field pea hull); T2 and T3 were fed native hay adlibitum + concentrate mixture formulated with inclusion of 35% field pea hull and 50%  field pea hull, respectively along with other feed ingredients. The feeding trial was conducted for 90 days. Data were analyzed using GLM  procedures of SAS, and Turkey’s HSD multiple-comparison was used for means separation. The result showed a significant (p<0.001)  variation in dry matter and nutrient intake among treatments. The DMI was the highest in T3, followed by T2, while it was the lowest in  T1. The average total neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber intakes and metabolizable energy intake were highest in T3 and  followed by T2, while they were the lowest in T1. The average total body weight gain (kg) was higher in T3 (9.0kg) and T2 (8.67kg) than in T1 (6.58kg). Similarly, higher average daily body weight gains were recorded in T3 (100g) and T2 (96.3g) than in T1 (73.2g). Sheep that  were fed field pea hull by the inclusion of 50 % in concentrate mixtures (T3) were more efficient in feed utilization (p<0.05) than T1 as they  consumed significantly less amount of feed per 1 g of body weight gain. Hence, it is concluded that feeding of 50% field pea hull  along with concentrate mixture could be used for better fattening performance of sheep.