Small holder lamb fattening based on crop residues and agro-industrial by-products in northern Ghana

Abstract

In an on-farm study involving four sedentary mixed-farming communities in the Savelugu-Nanton District, a total of 29 intact rams (DjallonkeW Sahelian) were fattened on two diets formulated from rice straw (urea-treated), pigeon pea waste, dry cassava peels and whole cottonseed. In Diet 1, cassava peels constituted the basal ingredient while in Diet 2, pigeon pea waste was major. Total daily dry matter (DM) intakes by rams were 958.0 and 852.3 g/head for Diet 1 and 2 respectively. Both diets supported appreciable body weight gain. Diet 1 appeared superior and ensured a significantly (P<0.01) higher average daily weight gain (ADG) of 130.0 g compared to 87.9 g recorded for Diet 2. Animals on Diet 1 had a feed efficiency ratio of 7.3 kg DM/kg gain as against 9.7 kg DM/kg gain by Diet 2. Economic considerations of the diets fed per ram indicated daily feed bills of "36.93 and "32.16 for Diet 1 and 2 respectively. The calculated profit margins per unit animal fattened were positive for both dietary options. The cassava peel-based option (Diet 1) yielded a profit margin 80 per cent higher than the pigeon pea waste-based diet (Diet 2).


(Ghana Journal of Agricultural Science, 1997, 30(1): 31-38)