Dry matter intake, dry matter digestibility and growth performance in goats fed grass-based diet (Brachiaria or Cenchrus) compared with a concentrate-based diet

Dry matter digestibility (DMD), dry matter intake (DMI) and growth performance of concentrate- and forage-based diets were investigated using 24 growing Blended goats (12 males, 12 females) weighing 16.5±1.2 kg (mean±sd). Goats were blocked by sex and assigned randomly to three dietary treatments that were fed for 10 weeks, after two weeks of adaptation. Dietary treatments were MRG (40% maize bran, 40% rice bran, 20% Gliricidia leaf meal), BG (80% Brachiaria brizantha cv. Piatã, 20% Gliricidia leaf meal) and CG (80% Cenchrus ciliaris, 20% Gliricidia leaf meal). All diets contained sufficient nutrients to meet the requirements of growing goats. The MRG diet had lower DMI than CG, likely because MRG had small particle size and goats adapted slowly to that diet. Average daily weight gain was 10.7, 9.9 and 22.8 g/day for MRG, BG, and CG respectively, and did not differ among the diets. Goats fed MRG had lower overall live weight change than goats fed CG, while goats fed BG were intermediate. These findings indicate that B. brizantha cv. Piatã and C. ciliaris are equally useful as supplementary feedstuffs for growing goats during the dry season

Assessment of leaf biomass production of selected deciduous indigenous browse shrub in semi-arid ecological zone of Mwanga district, Tanzania

MSc ThesisThe major problem facing ruminant livestock production in semi-arid ecological zone is lack of adequate feed and of good quality throughout the year. The problem is more critical in the dry season. In semi-arid ecological zone leaf litter of shrubs and bushes are an important feed resource during the dry season. Grewia bicolor is the main deciduous indigenous browse shrub dominating the western lowland areas of Mwanga district. This study aimed at investigating the influence of season and lopping on re-growth potential, leaf biomass production and nutritive value of Grewia bicolor in western semiarid area of Mwanga district. The treatments were: T 1 control (where the G. bicolor plant was not- lopped), T 2 where G. bicolor plants was lopped at the start of short rain season (November), T 3 where G. bicolor plants was lopped at the start of long rain season (March). A complete randomized design was used in this study, where four replications were laid across a general slope and three treatments were applied in each replication. The study revealed that the local feed resources for grazing ruminants in the study area during the dry season were mainly leaf litter of deciduous browse shrubs, leaf litter of annual and perennial grasses, and some edible forbs. The leaf litter of G. bicolor deciduous browse shrub had high CP content ranging from 7 – 9 % while the understory grasses were low in CP (4 – 6 %). Lopping of G. bicolor increased leaf litter production from 94 to 217 kgDM/ha. It can be concluded that G. bicolor can be utilized to increase livestock production while undertaking some lopping techniques to increase leaf litter production and to maintain the balance between its canopy size and desirable understory grass species.EPINAV (Enhancing Pro-poor Innovations in Natural Resource and Agriculture Value Chain

Assessment of leaf biomass production of selected deciduous indigenous browse shrub in semi-arid ecological zone of Mwanga district, Tanzania

MSc ThesisThe major problem facing ruminant livestock production in semi-arid ecological zone is lack of adequate feed and of good quality throughout the year. The problem is more critical in the dry season. In semi-arid ecological zone leaf litter of shrubs and bushes are an important feed resource during the dry season. Grewia bicolor is the main deciduous indigenous browse shrub dominating the western lowland areas of Mwanga district. This study aimed at investigating the influence of season and lopping on re-growth potential, leaf biomass production and nutritive value of Grewia bicolor in western semiarid area of Mwanga district. The treatments were: T 1 control (where the G. bicolor plant was not- lopped), T 2 where G. bicolor plants was lopped at the start of short rain season (November), T 3 where G. bicolor plants was lopped at the start of long rain season (March). A complete randomized design was used in this study, where four replications were laid across a general slope and three treatments were applied in each replication. The study revealed that the local feed resources for grazing ruminants in the study area during the dry season were mainly leaf litter of deciduous browse shrubs, leaf litter of annual and perennial grasses, and some edible forbs. The leaf litter of G. bicolor deciduous browse shrub had high CP content ranging from 7 – 9 % while the understory grasses were low in CP (4 – 6 %). Lopping of G. bicolor increased leaf litter production from 94 to 217 kgDM/ha. It can be concluded that G. bicolor can be utilized to increase livestock production while undertaking some lopping techniques to increase leaf litter production and to maintain the balance between its canopy size and desirable understory grass species.EPINAV (Enhancing Pro-poor Innovations in Natural Resource and Agriculture Value Chain