Feed intake and digestibility in Yankasa sheep fed diets containing various levels of Leucaena leucocephala leaf residues

Abstract

Four Yankasa sheep, weighing between 19 and 24kg live weight and with age range between 15-24 months were used in a metabolism study to determine the intake and the digestibility of Leucaena leucocephala leaf residue (LLLR) while diets B, C and D had 15, 30 and 45% LLLR inclusion respectively. Dry matter and dietary crude protein intake by trhe environmental animals decreased with increasing level of LLLR inclusion in the diets, although these values were not significant (P>0.05). Also, digestion rates for dry matter and nutrients decreased as protein level of the diets decreased but variation were not significant (P<0.05). Inclusion of 15% LLLR in the dust produced the best weight gain, though this was significantly (P>0.05) different from other treatments. None of the animals developed any health problem and none was underfed as they all recorded an increase in weight. The diet with 15% LLLR produced performance similar to the control both in nutrient intake and weight gain