Abstract:
Twelve growing West African dwarf ewes, aged 7 - 8 months with an average weight of 7.00 +- 0.32kg were used in a 12 week feeding trial, to study the influence of dietary supplementation of Gliricidia sepium with neem leaves meal with a view to estimate digestibility and blood metabolites. Three levels of supplementation were used to obtain three treatment diets that included; diet 1 (50% Panicum maximum and 20% Gliricidia sepium which served as the control group), diet 2 (45% Panicum maximum and 25% Gliricidia sepium) and diet 3 (40% Panicum maximum and 30% Gliricidia sepium). Concentrate of 30% was added as fixed to all treatment diets, why 3 and 6grams of neem leaves was added to diets 2 and 3 respectively. The sheep were divided into three groups of four animals and each group was randomly allotted to one of the three diets in a completely randomized design. Results showed that ash digestibility (80.21%), serum urea (6.68mg/dl) and sodium concentration (129.12Mmole/L) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in diet 1, while ether extract digestibility (82.07%) and serum cholesterol (69.01mg/dl) were higher in diet 2. Dry matter (86.25%), crude protein (90.53%), crude fiber (78.63%) and nitrogen free extract (67.80%) digestibility's, total protein ( 8.06g/dl), glucose (69.04mg/dl) and potassium (6.26Mmole/L) were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in diet 3 than diets 1 and 2. A non significant (P > 0.05) difference was observed with serum creatinine, calcium and phosphorus. It can thus be concluded that 40% Panicum maximum and 30% Gliricidia sepium with 30% concentrate plus 6grams of neem leaves has the potential to improve digestibility and blood metabolites of ewes. |
