EFFECTS OF FEEDING SOLE GRASSES AND MIXED GRASS-LEGUME SILAGES ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF YANKASA RAMS IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA OF NIGERIA

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate growth performance of Yankasa rams fed sole grasses and mixed grass-legume silages. A total of 30 growing Yankasa rams weighing 21.50kg on average were used for the experiment. The Yankasa rams were assigned to 6 dietary ensiled feeds of sole maize silage (SM), sole Elephant grass silage (SE), maize-lablab (ML), maize-mucuna (MM), Elephant grass-lablab (EL) and Elephant grass-mucuna (EM). Experimental animals were fed 3% of their body weight and administered water ad libitum for the growth trial period which lasted for 90 days in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). Feed intake, weight gain and feed conversion ratio were determined. Results obtained shows that, rams fed MM and ML silage diet recorded significantly (P<0.05) higher daily silage intake, total feed intake, average daily feed intake, body weight gain and good feed conversion ratio. It was therefore concluded that, feeding mixed grass legume silage improved weight gain and feed conversion ratio than feeding sole grass silage