Nutrient digestibility of pregnant WAD ewe fed Mexican sunflower leaf meal (MSLM) based diets

Abstract

Fifteen days prior to parturition, studies was conducted using sixteen West African dwarf (WAD) ewes weighing between 22.80 and 26.03kg on a basal diet of Panicum maximum were allotted into 4 treatment groups A, B, C and D of 4 replicates each. The MSL replaced Wheat bran (WB) gravimetrically at 0, 15, 30 and 45%. Treatment A served as control, while animals in treatments B, C and D received Mexican sunflower leaf (MSL) at 15, 30 and 45% respectively. The experiment lasted for one week. Digestibility was determined using a 6-d total fecal collection. Ewes were given ad-libitum access to feed and water and routine vaccination and medication followed standard procedures. The 16 ewes were previously brought to heat (Oestrus) by synchronization and served by two rams (1:8). Parameters measured were voluntary dry matter intake (VDMI), which comprised concentrate dry matter intake (CDMI) and grass dry matter intake (GDMI), apparent digestibility coefficients of DM, CP, EE, NDF, ADF, ADL, organic matter (OM) and energy. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and ANOVA. The VDMI (g/d) varied from 392.30 - 695.00 for ewes during digestibility. CDMI (g/d) varied from 191.35 – 565.01 and GDMI (g/d) varied from 137.52 – 227.32 for ewes and this was significant (p <0.05) with animals on treatment B having the highest CDMI while animals on treatment C having the highest GDMI respectively. Apparent digestibility coefficients of EE, NDF, ADF, ADL, OM, and energy were similar. Approximately 75.5 ±1.1% of the VDMI came from the supplement. Diets containing 15% MSLM was superior to others for CDMI (191.35 – 565.01 g/day), C P absorbed (42.05 – 99.45 g/day), CP apparent digestibility (86.49 – 91.47%), Digestible DMI (52.34 – 85.20 g/day/kgW0.75) and Digestible CPI (14.31 – 28.35 g/day/kgW0.75) while GDMI (137.52 – 227.32 g/day) for diets containing 30% and 45% MSLM were significant (p < 0.05). Therefore Mexican Sunflower Leaf Meal could suitably replace Wheat bran in the diets of pregnant ewe up to 30% level of inclusion without eliciting any adverse effect.