The Effects of Maize and Napier Grass Ensiled with Dolichos Lablab on Feed Intake Growth Performance and Carcass Traits of Horro Lambs

The study was conducted at Bako Agricultural Research Center with the aim to evaluate the effects of Maize and Napier grass ensiled with 40% of Dolichos lablab on intake, digestibility, weight gain and carcass parameters. Each forage material was processed, diced in to smaller pieces separately, combined based on treatment combinations and then ensiled. Twenty male yearling Horro breed with an average initial body weight of 21.35 ± 2.66 kg were employed. Randomized complete block designs were used with four treatment and five replications in which they were randomly assigned to the dietary treatments. Dietary treatments were arranged as T1 and T2 for Napier grass and Maize ensiled alone, while, T3 and T4 for Maize and Napier grass ensiled with 40% of Dolichos lablab respectively. Experimental animals in all treatments were supplemented with wheat bran at 1.5% body weight. The study comprised 90 days of feeding trial followed by 7 days of digestibility trial and evaluation of carcass parameters at the end. The values of DM, CP and OM increased with the inclusion of Dolichos Lablab in both Napier Grass and Maize. Ensiling of Dolichos lablab with Napier grass and Maize influenced the intake of dry matter, crude protein, organic matter, acid detergent lignin, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber without influencing the intake of metabolizable Energy. Higher DM, OM, CP, NDF, ADF and ADL intake were observed for lambs fed diet in T4. Except CP apparent nutrient digestibility coefficients were not significantly (P>0.05) influenced across all the treatment diets. Lambs fed diet in T4 had higher digestibility of CP than those Lambs in T2 and T1 group implying higher body weight change and average daily body weight gains. Empty gut and omasum-abomasum edible offal components were significantly influenced (P<0.05) by dietary treatments. Therefore, ensiling of both Maize and Napier grass with 40% of Dolichos lablab enhanced the nutritive value of the silage thereby, increasing the nutrient intake and digestibility for better growth and carcass yields of sheep.