Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-dk4vv Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-28T06:56:36.376Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The effect of supplementing maize stover with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) haulms on the intake and growth performance of Ethiopian sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 May 2008

K. D. N. Koralagama ,
F. L. Mould ,
S. Fernandez-Rivera  and
J. Hanson
K. D. N. Koralagama*
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, PO Box 237, Earley Gate, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK International Livestock Research Institute, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
F. L. Mould
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, PO Box 237, Earley Gate, Reading, RG6 6AR, UK
S. Fernandez-Rivera
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
J. Hanson
Affiliation:
International Livestock Research Institute, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
*
E-mail: k.d.n.koralagama@reading.ac.uk
Get access

Abstract

This study compared the effect of supplementing maize stover (MS) with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) haulms or commercial concentrate (CC) on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, live weight gain and carcass yield of male Ethiopian Highland sheep. Two cowpea genotypes, 12688 (forage) and IT96D-774 (dual-purpose), were used. A randomised block design was applied with groups of eight sheep, blocked by weight, allocated to one of six treatments; MS ad libitum either unsupplemented or supplemented daily with 150 or 300 g dry matter (DM) of either cowpea or CC. MS contained more neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin than either cowpeas or CC. Crude protein (CP) content of the forage-type cowpeas was higher than either dual-purpose or CC, while MS had the lowest CP content. Relative to the negative control group, cowpea at either level significantly (P < 0.01) increased both MS intake and total NDF and lignin. Supplementation significantly (P < 0.01) increased nitrogen (N) intakes relative to the negative control, with N intake for CC and dual-purpose cowpea (high level) being similar to the intakes for cowpeas at 150 g. N intake with the forage-type cowpea offered at higher levels was significantly (P < 0.01) greater than the other groups. No significant differences (P > 0.01) in MS intake were identified between cowpeas at either level or CC and, although intake level of CC increased, it did not differ significantly from the negative control group. Supplementation significantly (P < 0.01) improved average daily gain, with the negative control group losing weight over the experimental period, and increased final live weight, carcass cold weight and dressing percentage. Supplementation significantly improved the apparent digestibility of DM, organic matter and NDF, with no significant difference found between cowpeas at either level. N retention was negative for sheep offered only MS, but positive with all supplements, with cowpeas improving N retention to a greater extent than CC. Interestingly, N retention/N intake was higher with cowpeas offered at the lower level suggesting an improvement in utilisation efficiency. The results indicate that the supplementation of MS with cowpea enhanced ruminant production through improvements in digestibility and intake. Further, as production improvements associated with the two levels of supplementation did not differ significantly, it is suggested that where limited quantities of cowpea are available, it may be of greater nutritional benefit to offer smaller quantities over an increased number of animal days.

Keywords

cowpeasdigestibilityfeed intakelive weight gainmaize stover
Type
Full Paper
Information
animal , Volume 2 , Issue 6 , June 2008 , pp. 954 - 961
Copyright
Copyright © The Animal Consortium 2008

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Aboud AAO, Owen E, Reed JD, Said AN and McAllan AB 1993. Feeding sorghum stover to Ethiopian goats and sheep: effect of amount offered on intake, selection and performance. In Animal production in developing countries. Proceedings of a symposium organized by The British Society of Animal Production, at Wye, September 1991. BSAP Occasional Publication 16. BSAP (British Society of Animal Production), Edinburgh, UK, pp. 202–203.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Abule, E, Umunna, NN, Nsahlai, IV, Osuji, PO, Alemu, Y 1995. The effect of supplementing teff straw with graded levels of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and lablab (Lablab purpureus) hays on degradation, rumen particulate passage and intake by crossbred [Friesian × Boran (zebu)] calves. Livestock Production Science 44, 221–228.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
AFRC 1993. Energy and protein requirements of ruminants. An advisory manual prepared by the AFRC Technical Committee on Responses to Nutrients. CAB International, Wallingford, UK.Google Scholar
Aitchison, E, Gill, M, France, J, Dhanoa, MS 1986. Comparison of methods to describe the kinetics of digestion and passage of fibre in sheep. Science of Food and Agriculture 37, 1065–1072.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Akinlade, JA, Smith, JW, Raji, AM, Busari, AA, Adekunle, IO, Adewumi, MK 2005. Effect of two cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) fodder cultivars as supplements on voluntary intake, milk yield and manure production of Bunaji cows. Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics 106, 105–112.Google Scholar
Assefa G and Ledin I 2000. Available feed resources and the role of cultivated forage crops in the smallholder farming systems in the central highlands of Ethiopia. In Proceedings of the 8th Annual Conference of ESAP, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 265–278.Google Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists 1990. Official methods of analysis. AOAC, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Bartholomew, PW, Ly, R, Doumbia, M, Khibe, T, Kone, N’g, Traore, B 2003. Agro-industrial by-products, cowpea residues and urea-treatment of hay for supplementary dry season feeding of mature zebu oxen in Mali. Livestock Research for Rural Development. CIPAV Foundation, Cali, Colombia 15, 1–10.Google Scholar
Bonsi, MLK, Osuji, PO, Nsahlai, IV, Tuah, AK 1994. Graded levels of Sesbania sesban and Leucaena leucocephala as supplements to tef straw given to Ethiopian Menz sheep. Journal of Animal Production 59, 235–244.Google Scholar
Goering, HK, Van Soest, PJ 1970. Forage fibre analysis (apparatus, reagents, procedures and some applications). Agricultural handbook 379. Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Washington, DC, USA.Google Scholar
Hess, DE, Fernandez-Rivera, S 2000. A note on the chemical composition, intake and digestion of Striga hermonthica herbage by sheep. Journal of Weed Research 40, 351–358.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hess, HD, Beuret, RA, Lotscher, M, Hindrichsen, IK, Machmuller, A, Carulla, JE, Lascano, CE, Kreuzer, M 2004. Ruminal fermentation, methanogenesis and nitrogen utilization of sheep receiving tropical grass hay-concentrate diets offered with Sapindus saponaria fruits and Cratylia argentea foliage. Animal Science 79, 177–189.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koralagama KDN 2004. Characterization and evaluation of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) genotypes under Ethiopian conditions and their potential as forage protein supplements for ruminants. PhD, University of Reading.Google Scholar
MAFF 1984. Energy allowances and feeding systems for ruminants, ADAS reference book 433. HMSO, London.Google Scholar
Mengistu A 1985. Feed resources in Ethiopia. In Proceedings of the Second PANESA Workshop on Animal Feed Resources for Small-Scale Livestock Producers. International Laboratory for Research on Animal Diseases, Nairobi, Kenya, pp. 35–43.Google Scholar
Mesfin, R, Ledin, I 2004. Comparison of feeding urea-treated teff and barley straw based diets with hay based diet to crossbred dairy cows on feed intake, milk yield, milk composition and economic benefits. Livestock Research for Rural Development 16, 1–11.Google Scholar
Mosi, AK, Butterworth, MH 1985. The voluntary intake and digestibility of combinations of cereal crop residues and legume hay for sheep. Animal Feed Science and Technology 12, 241–251.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nsahlai, IV, Umunna, NN, Osuji, PO 1998. Complementarity of bird-resistant and non-bird-resistant varieties of sorghum stover with cottonseed cake and noug (Guizotia abyssinica) cake when fed to sheep. The Journal of Agricultural Science 130, 229–239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Savadogo, M, Zemmelink, G, Nianogo, H, Van Keulen, H 2000. Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) and groundnut (Arachys Hypogea L.) haulms as supplements to sorghum (Sorghum bicolour L. Moench) stover: intake, digestibility and optimum feeding levels. Animal Feed Science and Technology 87, 57–69.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Silva, A, Ørskov, ER 1988. Fibre degradation in the rumens of animals receiving hay and untreated or ammonia treated straw. Animal Feed Science and Technology 19, 277–287.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Singh, BB, Ajeigbe, HA, Tarawali, SA, Fernandez-Rivera, S, Abubakar, M 2003. Improving the production and utilization of cowpea as food and fodder. Field Crops Research 84, 169–177.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, T, Manyuchi, B, Mikayiri, S 1988. Legume supplementation of maize stover. In Utilization of Research Results on Forage and Agricultural By-Product Materials as Animal Feed Resources in Africa (ed. BH Dzowela, AN Said, A Asrat and JA Kategile), pp. 302–320. ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.Google Scholar
Tolera, A, Sundstøl, F 2000. Supplementation of graded levels of Desmodium intortum hay to sheep feeding on maize stover harvested at three stages of maturity 2. Rumen fermentation and nitrogen metabolism. Animal Feed Science and Technology 87, 215–229.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van Soest, PJ 1982. Fecal composition, mathematics of digestion balances and markers. In Nutrition Ecology of the Ruminants (ed. PJ Van Soest), pp. 39–57. O & B Books, Inc., Oregon, USA.Google Scholar
Varvikko, T, Khalili, H, Crosse, S 1992. Supplementation of native grass hay with cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) hay, wilted leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) forage, wilted tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) forage or wheat middling for young Friesian X Zebu (Boran) crossbred steers. Agriculture Science in Finland 1, 247–254.Google Scholar
Yami A, Sileshi Z and Bediye S 1989. The potential of crop residues and agro-industrial by-products as animal feed. In The Third National Livestock Improvement Conference. IAR, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 57–64.Google Scholar
Zinash S and Seyoum B 1989. Utilization of feed resources and feeding systems in the central zone of Ethiopia. In Proceedings of the Third National Livestock Improvement Conference. IAR, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, pp. 1–14.Google Scholar