Effects of feeding different varieties of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) straws with concentrate on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of Arsi-Bale sheep

A study was conducted using 40 yearling Arsi-Bale sheep with initial body weight of 19.85+0.29 kg (mean + SD). The objectives were to evaluate the varietal differences among faba bean straws and to evaluate effects of feeding different varieties of faba bean straws with concentrate (2 parts wheat bran: 1 part noug seed cake) fed at the rate 70% straws and 30% concentrate mixture on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of the animals. The varieties included Mosisa (T1), Walki (T2), Degaga (T3), Shallo (T4) and local (T5) which were grown at Sinana Agricultural Research Center. The experiment consisted of 7 days of digestibility trial and 90 days of feeding trial followed by evaluation of carcass parameters at the end of the feeding period. Randomized complete block design was used for the experiment. The experimental animals were grouped into eight blocks of five animals each based on their initial body weight and each animal within each block was randomly assigned to one of the five treatment diets. Yield were significantly different (P0.001) from T3 (717.9 g/day) and sheep in T3 had higher (P0.001) from T2. The apparent digestibility of DM of T1, T2 and T3 were greater (P0.05) from T5. The OM digestibility was significantly higher (P0.001) with sheep in T1 and T2 whereas CP digestibility of T1 and T2 were also higher (P0.01) from T1 (52.2 g/day). Feed conversion efficiency was higher (P0.05) among others. Apart from this, the other carcass components were not affected (P>0.05) by variety of the faba bean straws. It can be concluded that there is significant difference between faba bean straws from different varieties in feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency and that faba bean straws when supplemented with concentrate had higher potential as animal feed. Based on these results, Walki and Mosisa varieties could be recommended as pulse crop rotation with cereals in the study area

Changes in vegetation structure, aboveground biomass and soil quality in response to traditional grazing land management practices in the central highlands of Ethiopia

Despite shrinking pastureland in the central highlands of Ethiopia, as a result of cropping, there has been little detailed work to evaluate effects of traditional grazing land management practices on vegetation and soil attributes. This study aimed to quantify vegetation structure, aboveground biomass yield and soil quality, as a result of the impact of enclosure and open access management practices by using a sampling quadrat. Aboveground biomass yield for the grass species was 17.6 and 31.2% higher, respectively, for the highland and mid-highland agro-ecologies for enclosed areas, compared with open-access grazing. Andropogon amethystinus (Important value index (IVI) = 86.9) and Pennisetum thunbergii (IVI = 79.2), the most dominant and highest density, found in the enclosed areas decreased from open access grazing land and replaced by more resistant to continuous heavy grazing, like Eleusine floccifolia (IVI = 125.7) in the mid-highland area. Herbaceous species richness was better in open access grazing land than the enclosed areas. Soil quality parameters, such as total nitrogen, available phosphorous, calcium, sodium and cation exchange capacity, were significantly higher for enclosed areas than open access practice. In conclusion, enclosed areas performed greater in most of the parameters considered than open access grazing land management practices at both agro-ecologies.The Agricultural Growth Program (AGP II) of the Oromia Agricultural Research Institute and the University of Pretoria.http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/tarf202021-12-14hj2021Animal and Wildlife Science

Evaluation of n-alkanes, long-chain alcohols, and carbon stable isotope enricnments of n-alkanes as diet composition markers in free-grazing animals

Please read abstract in the article.International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)http://www.publish.csiro.au/anhj2022Animal and Wildlife Science

Effects of feeding different varieties of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) straws with concentrate supplement on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of Arsi-Bale sheep

Objective A study was conducted to evaluate the varietal differences among faba bean straws and also to assess the potentials of faba bean straws supplemented with concentrate fed at the rate 70% straws and 30% concentrate mixture on feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and carcass characteristics of the animals. Methods Forty yearling Arsi-Bale sheep with initial body weight of 19.85±0.29 kg (mean± standard deviation) were grouped in a randomized complete block design into eight blocks of five animals each based on their initial body weight. Straws included in the study were from Mosisa (T1M), Walki (T2W), Degaga (T3D), Shallo (T4S), and local (T5L) varieties of faba bean and concentrate (2:1 ratio of wheat bran to “noug” seed cake). The experiment consisted of seven days of digestibility and 90 days of feeding trials followed by evaluation of carcass parameters at the end. Results Local variety had lower (p0.05) by variety of the faba bean straws. Conclusion There is significant varietal differences between faba bean straws both in quality and quantity. Similarly, significant variation was observed in feed intake, digestibility, body weight gain and feed conversion efficiency among sheep fed different straws of faba bean varieties with concentrate supplement. Based on these results, Walki and Mosisa varieties could be recommended as pulse crop rotation with cereals in the study area

Estimation of feed intake and digestibility in Zebu type Arsi steers fed natural pasture using the n-alkane technique

Please read abstract in the article.International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and the University of Pretoria.http://www.elsevier.com/locate/anifeedscihj2022Animal and Wildlife Science