Effect of feeding straw-urea-molasses mixture (SUM) on live weight gain of crossbred sheep

Abstract

 (2024). . , 36, (Article #59). Retrieved November 11, 2024, from http://www.lrrd.org/lrrd36/5/3659sard.html

The objective of the experiment was to evaluate the effect of supplementing crossbred sheep with straw-urea-molasses mixture (SUM) on their LW gain in southwest Bangladesh. Twelve crossbred sheep in total were split up into four treatment groups, each consisting of three replicates. Groups T₁, T ₂ and T₃ were allowed to feed SUM for 1-h, 1.5-h and 2-h, respectively, in addition to 10-h grazing, while the control group (T₀) only grazed for 10 h daily. Based on randomized complete block design (RCBD), the experimental setup was implemented. SUM contained 36.7% dry matter (DM), 8.47% crude protein (CP), 26.3% crude fiber (CF), 1.06% ether extract (EE), 17.4% ash, and 46.8% nitrogen-free extract (NFE). Empty body weight was measured every week morning, before they were fed SUM and allowed to graze. Computer software R was used to analyze the data. Average DM intakes from SUM were 0.18, 0.24 and 0.29 kg per sheep per day for sheep groups access to SUM supplementation for 1-h, 1.5-h and 2-h, respectively ( p <0.01). At weeks 5, 7 and 11, the highest LW gain (g, per day) was observed in the group of sheep fed 2-h SUM (T₃) among all treatment groups ( p < 0.05). Among all the treatment groups, the highest LW gain was also observed at 9, 10 and 12 weeks as 90.5, 80.9 and 90.5 g per day respectively in the treatment group fed SUM for 2-h ( p < 0.01). Average LW gain over the entire experiment period (90 days) was ranged from 33.67 to 89.48 g per day with the highest in the 2-h SUM supplemented sheep group and the lowest in the no supplemented group ( p < 0.01). It can be concluded that feeding SUM for 2-h is suitable for optimal LW gain of crossbred sheep.