Growth performance of three Nigerian breeds of sheep fed different types of hay

Abstract

It was hypothesised that hay type will affect feed intake and growth with significant interactions between breeds of sheep. Ten rams aged between 18 and 24 months and weighing 24.70, 25.50 and 24.75 each of Balami, Uda and Yankasa indigenous breeds of sheep in a complete randomised design with a 2 x 3 factorial arrangement were used. The rams were fed Brachiaria decumbens or Digitaria smutsii hay supplemented with concentrate at 1 % of their body weight.  The trial lasted 90 days after 14 days adjustment period to the diets. Individual animal basal and supplementary concentrate feed intakes were recorded daily and liveweights were measured fortnightly. Data were analysed using SAS. Results of breed effect showed that Balami and Uda had significantly (P<0.05) higher values for most of the parameters measured while the effect of hay showed that rams fed Digitaria smutsii hay had significantly (P<0.05) higher feed intake and weight gain than their counterparts fed Brachiaria decumbens hay. The interaction effect also revealed that Balami had significantly (P<0.05) higher weight gain and feed conversion ratio while Yankasa had the lowest (P>0.05). It is therefore concluded from this study that feeding D. smutsii hay to rams gave better results than feeding B. decumbens hay. Hence, it is recommended that feeding D. smutsii hay can be effectively used in a feedlot production system for growing rams during a 90-day feedlot period. Furthermore, the detected interaction effect of hay type level with breed permits working choices of improving the ability to grow rams.