Abstract:
The use of forages plays utmost role in averting the current livestock feed gap. The study
aimed to assess forage production and utilization practices and evaluation of
morphological characteristics, biomass yield, and feeding value of Mulato II and
Desmodium intortum for rams. The study involved a multifaceted activity which include
survey, agronomic, and animal evaluation experiments. For the survey activity, two
districts namely, Kalu and Dawa Chefa with a total of 180 respondents, 90 respondents
from each district, were purposively selected based on push-pull technology practice and
livestock production potentials. Randomized complete block design (RCBD) in a
factorial arrangement with three factors, planting pattern (sole Mulato II, sole D. intortum
and intercropped Mulato II with D. intortum), agroecologies (lowland and midland) and
harvesting ages (90 and 120 days), was used for the agronomic experiment. The
morphological characteristics measured were plant height (PHPP), number of tiller
(NTPP), number of leaf (NLPP), leaf length (LLPP), leaf to stem ratio (LSR), root length
(LRPP), number of roots (NRPP) for Mulato II, number of branches (NBPP) and number
of root nodule (NRNPP) for D. intortum and land equivalent ratio (LER). The chemical
composition parameters analyzed were Ash, CP, NDF, ADF, and ADL. Dry matter yield
(DMY t/ha), Crude protein yield (CPY t/ha), IVDMD (%) and ME (MJ/kg DM) were
also determined. Twenty-five yearling Farta rams were blocked based on their initial
body weight (18±1.36 kg) (mean±SD) and randomly assigned into the five treatment diets in a RCBD to examine their growth performance for a period of 90 days excluding
15 days of adaptation. The treatments were T1 (NPH ad libitum+ concentrate only), T2
(natural pasture hay (NPH) ad libitum+ 80% concentrate+ 20% Mulato II and D.
intortum), T3 (NPH ad libitum+ 60% concentrate +40% Mulato II and D. intortum), T4
(NPH ad libitum+ 40% concentrate+ 60% Mulato II and D. intortum), and T5 (NPH ad
libitum+ 20% concentrate +80% Mulato II and D. intortum). The concentrate comprised
of noug seed cake, wheat bran, and ground maize grain. The five treatments were made in
such a way that the concentrate mix was progressively replaced by Mulato II and D.
intortum forages at a proportion of 0, 20, 40, 60, and 80% on DM basis. Besides, the data
on blood profiles and enteric methane emission was collected from all the experimental
sheep. The data on blood hematology test (RBC, WBC, PLAT, Hag, HCT, MCV, MCH,
and MCHC) was done using automated hematological analyser. Blood biochemical
parameters (blood glucose, Total protein, Albumin, Urea nitrogen and Total cholesterol)
was done using automated biochemical analyser. Enteric methane emission of sheep was
measured using portable hand-held laser methane detector (LMD). The data for the
survey was analyzed using SPSS version 26, while the GLM procedure of SAS version
9.4 was used for the agronomic and animal evaluation experiments. The result revealed
that the majority of respondents (58.9 and 74.4%) have experience in the production of
Mulato II and D. intortum in Kalu and Dawa Chefa districts, respectively. Most of the
farmers (63.3 and 74.4%) used cut and carry system to feed their livestock in Kalu and
Dawa Chefa districts, respectively. Mulato II and D. intortum were used as crop pest
control (Mulato II an attractictive trap plant and D. intortum as a repellent) and livestock
feed in both study areas. Land scarcity, shortage of planting materials, and lack of
awareness were the major impediments for production. The field experiment showed that,
except land equivalent ratio (LER), most morphological characteristics (PHPP, NTPP,
NLPP, LLPP, LSR, NRPP, LRPP, NBPP, and NRNPP) were significantly affected
(P<0.05) by the interaction effect of planting pattern, agroecologies, and harvesting ages.
Similarly, the Ash, CP, NDF for Mulato II, ADF, ADL for Mulato II, and IVDMD values
were significantly (P<0.05) affected by the interaction effect except NDF and ADL for D.
intortum and metabolizable energy (ME) for both Mulato II and D. intortum. The highest CP content (12.3%) was recorded from the intercropped Mulato II with D. intortum at 90
days of harvesting time in the lowland agroecology. The highest dry matter yield (DMY)
(17.04 and 16.7 t/ha) was obtained from both intercropped Mulato II and D. intortum,
respectively, harvested at 120 days in the lowland agroecology. Optimum DMY and CP
value of Mulato II and D. intortum were obtained from the intercrop, harvested at 120
days in the lowland agroecology. The feeding trial showed that total dry matter intake,
average daily gain, and feed conversion efficiency of sheep were not affected by the
substitution of concentrate with Mulato II and D. intortum mixed forages. In addition, all
the blood profiles tested were not affected by the substitution effect of the supplemental
forages (P>0.05) except for red blood cell (RBC) and all the blood variables tested were
within the recommended ranges for a healthy sheep. Furthermore, enteric methane
emission of the sheep was not varied (P>0.05). In conclusion, the appreciable quantity
and quality of Mulato II and D. intortum forages observed could suggest those forages
are good alternative and equally important to potentially substitute the concentrate in the
diet of sheep without any negative effect on intake, digestibility, and ADG, health and
environment.