EFFECT OF FEEDING CHOPPED AND UNCHOPPED GROUNDNUT HAULM (HARAWA) ON NUTRIENT UTILIZATION AND THE PRODUCTION OF SOME RUMEN METABOLITES IN YANKASA LAMBS

Abstract

The effect of feeding chopped and unchopped groundnut haulm (Harawa) on nutrient intake, metabolism and utilization was determined in 24 (12 each of male and female) growing Yankasa lambs. Feeding of chopped harawa significantly (P 0.05) Increased feed intake, the digestibility of nutrients and liveweight gains. It also had an ap­preciable effect on nitrogen retention and the pro­duction of total rumen nitrogen, rumen ammonia-nitrogen and volatile fatty acids. The availability of digestible energy did not differ significantly under the two feeding regions. There was a better feed effi­ciency for lambs fed chopped hay.