Effect of processed sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) grain supplementation on growth performance and socioeconomic feasibility of Doyogena sheep in Ethiopia

Background The experiment evaluated the effect of supplementing sheep fed natural pasture hay with processed sweet lupin grain on growth performance and its economic feasibility. The finding revealed that use of steamed lupin shown to improve the nutritive value of the grain and sheep performance. Methods The experiment was carried out using 24 yearling lambs with initial body weight of 27.53 ± 2.67 kg (mean ± SD) for 126 days (21 days quarantine, 15 days of adaptation and 90 days growth trial followed by 7 days digestibility trial). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design consisting of four treatments and six blocks. Treatments comprised the feeding of natural pasture hay ad libitum + concentrate mix 440 g (T1), natural pasture hay + 440 g/day roasted, coarsely ground sweet lupin grain (T2), natural pasture hay + 440 g/day sweet lupin grain soaked in water for 72 h (T3), natural pasture hay + 440 g/day steamed sweet lupin grain (T4). Results There was improvements in total dry matter intake and digestibility coefficients of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber in sheep supplemented with processed sweet lupin grains compared (T4) by 58.49%, 24.66%, 39.39%, 22.97% and 39.68%, respectively, over the control group. Specifically sheep supplemented with T4 had significantly higher (p < 0.001) average daily gain (by 51.04%), feed conversion efficiency (46.34%) and daily weight gain (144.78 g/day) compared to the control treatment, respectively. All processing methods resulted in favorable average daily gain and net return, thus can be employed in feeding systems depending on their availability and relative cost. Conclusions Supplementing sheep fed natural pasture hay with 440 g/day steamed sweet lupin grains improved growth performance and fattening economics of Doyogena sheep compared to T2 (roasted sweet lupin grain), T3 (soaked sweet lupin grain) or the control (T1)

On farm and off-farm feed utilization and improved management options: A Synthesis

The challenges identified in the proposal of the CGIAR Research Program (CRP) on Livestock, for enhancing livestock production and productivity, have been the shortage of quality feeds, inefficient utilization of feed resources, degradation of rangelands, and lack of knowledge and skills of stakeholders in the feed production and utilization value chains. To address these challenges, the research and development work, innovations developed and tested, results-dissemination and concerted efforts towards capacity building have been presented in the following three main sections. 1) Enlarging the feed quality resource base 2) Efficient use of feed resources 3) Rehabilitation of degraded rangeland

Yield and fodder quality of irrigated Napier grass inter-cropped with either Sesbania, Desmodium or Pigeon pea

The data presents the effect of inter-cropping irrigated Napier grass with perennial legume forages including Sesbania, Desmodium and Pigeon pea on the overall biomass yield, nutritional quality and compatibility

Inventory of feed prices and quality across major feed market places in southern Ethiopia

The data set presents feed types, prices and quality of feed resources traded in major market places in southern Ethiopi

Nutritional quality and price of irrigated fodder and other feed resources in Lemo

The dataset describes the nutritional quality of irrigated oat-vetch forage and Desho grass as well as average market prices of the forages. The data also contains price and quality information for other feed resources marketed in the Lemo and surrounding districts to provide information that can be used as input in cost-benefit analysis of irrigated fodder cultivation practices

Assessment of feed utilization practices and drivers of adoption of cultivated forages in southern Ethiopia

Indigenous feed resource management practices and coping mechanisms during the times of scarcity have been assessed. Data were generated from smallholder farmers who are adopters and non-adopters of cultivated forages to explore key drivers of adoption

Biomass yield of irrigated oat-vetch forage and desho grass in the Lemo district of southern Ethiopia

The data presents the fresh feed biomass and dry matter yield of oat-vetch mixture forage and desho grass produced by irrigation during the 2015 experimental period in Lemo and Angacha district of southern Ethiopia