Effect of partial replacement of maize (Zea Mays) with reed (Arundo Domax, L) in silage fed to growing Rahhmani lambs

Abstract: Targeting to study the effect of substituting maize silage (s) with reed silage on growth performance and economical efficiency of growing Rahmani jambs, thirty two lambs aged about 4 months and weighed in average 24.9kg were divided randomly into four groups,8 lambs each Treatments tested were 50% cFM+50% maize silage (RI), 70% cFM+30% maize silage (R2), 50 cFM+50% mixture silage (65%maize+35% reed ) (R3) and 50% CFM +50% mixture silage (30% maize +70%reed )(R4). The feeding trials lasted 112 days. Three lambs of each group were involved in digestion trial to evaluate the nutritive values of the tested diets.
The highest digestibility values for all nutrients were recorded with R3(65% maize-35% reed) followed by R4 (30% maize- 70% reed),while the lowest value was observed with RI. TDN% kept the same trend of digestibility values while DCP values were significantly higher with the increasing of concentrate (R2, 70% CFM- 30% maize-S) compared with the other rations. Moreover, the DCP was significantly higher with sheep fed mixture silages (R3 and R4) than those fed maize-S alone (R1).
Marketing weight, total body gain and daily body gain of lambs fed R3 (65% maize-35% reed) was significantly higher than those fed R1 and R2. The daily body gain recorded the highest value for R3 (177.9g) followed by R4 (168.5g), R2 (161.3g) and lastly R1(159.0g). similarly, feed conversion efficiency which based on DM, TDN and DCP was better for Rahmani lambs fed mixture silages. Therefore, the economic efficiency was improved with mixture silage (R3 and R4) by 11.86 and 13.14% compared with R1 and by 23.36 and 24.77% compared with R2. Moreover, the economic efficiency was better by 10.28% with R1 (50% CFM+50% maize-S) compared with R2 (70% CFM+ 30% maize-S).
Ruminal ammonia-N and total volatile fatty acids concentrations (TVF’s) as well as microbial protein content were higher in the rumen of sheep fed mixture silages (R3 and R4) compared with other rations (R1 and R2) at 4-hr post feeding. On the other hand, the results indicated that most tested blood parameters (glucose, albumin, creatinine, urea, cholesterol, alkaline phosphates and minerals) were not significantly affected by the tested type of silage.
Keywords: Rahmani lambs- feeding maize and reed silage- nutritive value-growth performance- rumen and blood parameters.

Publication year

2003

Pages

969-980

Availability location

معهد بحوث الانتاج الحيوانى- شارع نادى الصيد- الدقى- الجيزة

Availability number

Organization Name

Animal Production Research Institute (APRI)

serial title

Egyptian Journal Nutrition and Feed

ISSN