Effects of Complementary Feeding on Puberty and Body Maturity of Sudanese Desert Ewe Lambs (Tribal Subtype Hamari) of North Kordofan, Sudan
Journal Title: International Journal of Farming and Allied Sciences - Year 2015, Vol 4, Issue 8
Abstract
This study was conducted in North Kordofan State, Sudan during May to September 2014 to study the effects of supplementation with concentrated ration on body growth, body maturity and puberty. Sixty Sudanese Desert ewe lambs and three rams (Tribal subtype Hamari) were used in the experiment. Ewe lambs were about five months old with average live weights of 19.83Kg. On their arrival to the experimental side, lambs were identified using ear tags, weighed and treated with Ivermectin (1cc/50 kg body weight) against external and internal parasites. Animals were then divided into five equal groups (A, B, C, D, E). Lambs of group A were kept on basal feed (control) while the remaining animals were allotted to experimental ration. The lambs were individually penned and allowed an adaptation period of 10 days. Each animal was then fed the experimental ration formed of groundnut hay as basal feed and concentrates. Concentrates were given at rates of 100, 200, 300 and 400 g/ head/day for group B, C, D, and E, respectively. The ration was given once in the morning while roughages (groundnut hay) were given ad libitum. Water was constantly available to animals. Feed consumed was recorded daily while body weights and body measurements were recorded weekly. Teaser rams were introduced after 26 weeks and at week 28 intact rams were introduced (one ram for 30 ewes) and after that oestrus and mating were recorded in different groups up to the end of the experimental period. Data were analyzed using SPSS and randomized complete design. Concentrate supplementation had positive effects on the performance of the experimental animals. Daily and total body gains increased with the increase of concentrate dose. Animals offered 400 g/ day recorded highest daily (0.096 ± 0.01Kg) and total (11.52± 1.51 Kg) body gains compared with animals offered 100g /day (0.056 ± 0.01 and 6.73 ± 1.39) and those on basal feed alone (0.040 and 4.82 Kg). Total feed intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR) followed the same trend. With the exception of pelvic cavity, other body measurements (height, length and heart girth) showed significant (P< 0.01) increase during the experimental period and the group fed 400g /day recorded the highest value. There was high significant correlations (P<0.01) between concentrate dose supplemented and final body weight, height at withers and heart girth. Also very high significant correlations were recorded between final body weight and height (P<0.001) and heart girth (P<0.0001). The total number of ewe lambs that showed oestrus was 32 heads (53.22 % of the flock) and those mated were 20 heads (33.33% of the flock). Most cases (71.87%) exhibited oestrus were about 7-8 months of age with body weights range between 21.6 - 33.00 Kg. Animals supplemented with 400g recorded the highest rate of oestrus (31.25 %). There was positive correlation (P<0.01) between concentrate dose and both total body gain and percentage of animals at oestrus. The present findings concluded that supplementation of ewe lambs can be considered as a suitable tool for earlier puberty and also highlight that nutritional levels before mating are particularly important to subsequent reproductive success in sheep.
Authors and Affiliations
M. A. , Mohamed Ali ; J. B. , Jadalla; S. A. S. Bukhari, and Salih, B
Keywords
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