EFFECTS OF FEEDING Panicum maximum SUPPLEMENTED WITH LEGUME PELLETS ON THE RUMEN FERMENTATION CHARACTERISTICS OF WEST AFRICAN DWARF SHEEP

Abstract

The study evaluated the effects of supplementation of legume pellets on the rumen fermentation parameters of West African dwarf (WAD) sheep fed Panicum maximum. Twenty WAD rams with average body weight of 12.43 ± 0.5 kg were allocated to four dietary treatments: sole Panicum maximum, P. maximum supplemented with Lablab purpureus pellets, P. maximum supplemented with Calopogonium mucunoides pellets and P. maximum supplemented with Mucuna pruriens pellets arranged in a Completely Randomized Design. Panicum maximum was offered to the animals ad libitum and legume pellets were fed at 5 % of their body weight. The feeding trial lasted 12 weeks. Rumen pH, ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and total volatile fatty acid were determined, and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance. At 6 hours post feeding, NH3-N concentration in rams supplemented with C. mucunoides pellets were significantly (P<0.05) lower than others. Rams supplemented with L. purpureus pellets had the lowest (P<0.05) rumen pH (6.99) at 0 hour and at 6 hours post feeding (6.54). Moreso, supplementing rams with L. purpureus pellets increased the NH3-N and reduced the rumen pH which can improve the activity of micro-organisms in the rumen. As such, supplementation with forage pellets during dry season, will serve as reliable source of feed for ruminants.