Removal of sorghum stover from feed choices has no confounding effect on the quantity and quality of diets selected by group or individually fed sheep

Autor: Bulelani Nangamso Pepeta, Mehluli Moyo, Festus Adeyemi Adejoro, Abubeker Hassen, Ignatius Verla Nsahlai
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 2023
Předmět:
Zdroj: Journal of Applied Animal Research, Vol 51, Iss 1, Pp 653-657 (2023)
Druh dokumentu: article
ISSN: 09712119
0974-1844
0971-2119
DOI: 10.1080/09712119.2023.2260450
Popis: The study determined the effect of reducing dietary ingredients and group feeding on diet selection, nutrient intake and digestibility in choice-fed sheep. Three feeds comprising of veld hay (VH), sorghum stover (SS) and maize stover (MS) were offered ad-libitum while lucerne hay (LH) and bean straw (BS) were offered at restriction. Twelve sheep were allocated into three groups (i) group-fed in 3 sheep per pen, (ii) individually fed and, (iii) individually fed with SS exclusion. Sheep were rotated across the groups in four periods of 10 days. Diet selected, intake, refusals, spillages and faeces were monitored for seven days. The proportion of BS and LH consumed did not differ between group-fed and individually fed sheep with or without SS inclusion. Intake of MS and SS was lower in individually fed sheep while intake of VH was higher (p 0.05). Diet selection was influenced by group feeding, but not the removal of SS. The scarcity of one dietary component may not result in the selection of undesired but available feeds if the quality is similar or poorer to the absent feed.
Databáze: Directory of Open Access Journals