Studies On The Utilization Of Urea- Ammoniated Straw And Urea-Molasses Block Supplement As Dry Season Feed Stuffs By Siieep In Ghana

ABSTRACT

Three experiments were undertaken to evaluate the nutritive value of urea ammoniated rice straw and urea-molasses block supplement for dry season feeding to sheep.

Experiment One compared the feeding value of untreated straw (US), ammoniated straw (AS) and urea-molasses block supplemented straw (UMBS). Three fistulated and three "intact" sheep were assigned to a two 3 x 3 Latin Square designed.

Parameters investigated include dry matter intake, lightweight changes and nutrient digestibilities.

The difference between the dry matter intake of AS (768.58g/d) and UMBS (707.24g/d) was significant (P < 0 .0 5 ) and both were superior to US (555.29g/d). Both intake and apparent digestibility o f crude protein were higher (P < 0 .0 5 ) for AS (48.55 and 73.88) than UMBS (27.55 and 67.01). Sim ilarly, cellulose digestibility was higher in AS (68.4 ) than UMBS (60.03). However, the two diets did not differ in intake or digestibility pf other nutrients. Average daily gari (ADC) were 10.70g/d, 72.0g/d and 68.92g/d for US, AS and UMBS respectively. The difference were not significant (P > 0 .0 5 ) between AS and UMBS. Both were however, significantly (P < 0 .0 5 ) different from US.

In situ studies in Experiment Two indicated that the extent and rate of DM and NDF degradation were higher with UMBS than AS and US. The values for crude protein were however highest with AS followed by UMBS.

Gari and kokonte were used in place of wheat flour as slow degrading dietary energy source in the urea-molasses block in Experiment Three. The crude fibre content of the blocks were 340g/kg, 270g/kg and 300g/kg for Gari contained block (GB) kokonte contained blipck (KB) and Wheat Flour contained block (WB) respectively. The higher fibre content o f GB promoted very high intake of both block and straw. The intakes were 0.81 and 0.78 kg/d for GB, 0.50 and 0.47 kg/d for KB and 0.47 and 0.54 kg/d for WB. GB accordingly recorded the best feed conversion efficiency which resulted in the highest growth rate of the sheep.