The Effect of Dry Season Supplementation of Lotus corniculatus Hay on Body and Fleece Weights of Three Sheep Breeds Grazing Natural Pasture under Ethiopian Conditions

Abstract

A study was conducted to investigate four levels of Lotus corniculatus hay (0, 100, 200 and 400 g/d/h) on body weight change and fiber characteristic of three dual-purpose sheep breeds of Ethiopia. The sheep were grouped based on their body weight and respective breeds and was assigned to one of the four levels of lotus hay randomly. Growth rate was significantly different (p<0.05) among the feeding levels. Rate of gain for lambs supplemented with 200 gram (5.12 kg) and 400 g lotus hay/day (5.55 kg) were similar and did not differ significantly (p>0.05), but were found to be different than the levels of 100 g lotus hay/day (3.49 kg) and the zero level (1.65 kg). Within breeds, body weight changes were observed AxM breeds gained significantly higher (p<0.05) (5.44 kg) than Menz (4.13 kg) and Tukur (2.31 kg). The live gain between Menz (4.13 kg) and Tukur (2.31 kg) was also significantly different (p<0.05). With regard to fiber characteristics, AxM lambs showed their superiority in all fiber characteristics (p<0.05) than Menz and Tukur sheep while no difference was noted between Menz and Tukur sheep in greasy and clean fiber weights. Any of the lotus levels did not alter any of the fiber characteristics.