NUTRITIVE VALUE AND BLOOD PROFILES OF RAMS TO SILAGE MIXTURES OF Megathyrsus maximus WITH Albizia saman PARTS

• V. O. A. Ojo

  Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

  Author

• D. K. Oyaniran

  Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

  Author

• T. A. Adeyemi

  Agri-Food Business Management Program, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia

  Author

• O. J. Idowu

  Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

  Author

• O. T. David

  Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

  Author

• G. A. Oluseesi

  Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

  Author

The study investigated the performance and blood parameters of West African dwarf (WAD) rams fed silages enhanced with Albizia saman parts. Megathyrsus maximus grass was ensiled with A. saman parts (chaff, leaves, whole pod and seeds) at 75% for grass: 25% for parts respectively with five replicates each in a completely randomized design. The silages were fed to WAD rams (with average body weight of 13±68 kg) ad libitum for 12 weeks for performance characteristic based on M. maximus and A. saman parts mixtures. The highest dry matter intake was recorded for animals that consumed silage mixtures of grass and A. saman leaf, A. saman pod and A. saman seed respectively. Highest daily weight gain (63.49 and 73.66 g/day) were recorded for rams fed silages with inclusion of A. saman pod and A. saman seed respectively. The highest feed conversion ratio (16.34) was recorded for rams fed sole M. maximus silage. Significant (p < 0.05) highest values of red blood cell, white blood cell and haemoglobin where recorded for animals on M. maximus sole silage, M. maximus ensiled with A. saman pod and M. maximus ensiled with A. saman seed respectively. The study revealed that ensiling A. saman parts with M. maximus improved the quality of the silage as well as increase in the performance of rams. However, rams fed M. maximus ensiled with A. saman seed had the best performance in terms of total nutrient digestibility, nitrogen retention and weight gain.

1. V. O. A. Ojo, Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

   Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

2. D. K. Oyaniran, Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

   Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

3. T. A. Adeyemi, Agri-Food Business Management Program, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia

   Agri-Food Business Management Program, Estonian University of Life Sciences, Estonia

4. O. J. Idowu, Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

   Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

5. O. T. David, Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

   Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

6. G. A. Oluseesi, Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

   Department of Pasture and Range Management, Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta P. M. B. 2240, Nigeria

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