Nutritive Value, Biomass Yield of Maku Lotus - A Temperate Perennial Legume and Its Effect On Growth Performance and Intake of Nutrients in Sandyno Weaner Lambs
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Date
2016-06
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Abstract
A study was conducted to assess the nutritive value, biomass yield of Maku lotus
and its effect on growth performance and intake of nutrients in Sandyno weaner lambs. A
representative area of Maku lotus field was selected and harvested to find out the biomass
yield and the same was analyzed for proximate composition and fibre fractions. 32 weaned
Sandyno lambs were randomly divided in to four homogeneous groups with regard to sex and
body weight. Group T1 animals were fed 200 g of concentrate feed and 5 hr grazing in
kikuyu pasture. Group T2 animals were fed same amount of concentrate with rotational
grazing in kikuyu pasture. Group T3 and T4 animals were fed Maku lotus legume fodder by
replacing 50 and 100% of crude protein from concentrate mixture on protein basis. A 90
days feeding trial followed by digestion trial was conducted to assess the growth performance
and intake of nutrients in Sandyno weaner lambs. Maku lotus contained average DM content
of 13.20 %. It also contains high protein (24.20%) and calcium (1.39 %) content. Neutral
detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, cellulose and lignin contents of Maku lotus were 50.93,
35.69, 15.76 and 16.85%, respectively. The average yield of Maku lotus was 8.104 MT per
acre per harvest. Average total body weight gain of the animals of group T1, T2, T3 and T4
was 5.519, 5.807, 5.058 and 4.890 Kg, respectively and they did not differ (P>0.05)
significantly among the treatment groups. The overall average daily gain of animals of group
T1, T2, T3 and T4 was 61, 65, 57 and 54 g/day, respectively for four groups and they did not
differ (P>0.05) among the dietary treatment groups. Dry matter intake (per cent body weight),
DCP intake (g/kg W0.75), TDN intake (g/kg W0.75) did not differ significantly (P>0.05)
between four treatment groups. From this study it could be concluded that feeding of Maku
lotus at 30% dry matter intake as replacement to concentrate feed did not affect the growth,
average daily gain, dry matter intake, DCP intake and TDN intake in Sandyno weaner lambs.
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Keywords
Veterinary Science, Goat