Supplementary effects of Noug Seed (Guizotia abyssinica) Cake with Sesbania (Sesbania sesban) Leaves on Feed Intake, Digestibility and Enteric Methane Emission in Arsi-Bale Sheep

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to study the effects of feeding the mixture S. sesban (Sesbania sesban) leaves, noug seed cake, and hay on feed intake, digestibility, and estimating enteric methane emission of Arsi-Bale sheep. The experiment was done having the nine-adult sheep of initial body weight 26.7 (±0. 14) kg. The experiment consisted of 7 days of digestibility and 90 days of feeding trials. The experiment employed a 3 x 3 cross over design with three treatments and three periods. There were three treatments including S. sesban leaves alone (T1), 27.6% S. sesban leaves + 27.6% hay +44.8% Noug seed cake (NSC) (T2) and 38.6% + 61.4% NSC (T3). Total dry matter intake (DMI) was higher (P<0.001) for sheep feed in 27.6% + 27.6% hay + 44.8% NSC (706.9g/day) compared to the rest of the treatments. However, the effect of S. sesban leaves alone decrease the total DMI. Digestibility of DM, OM, CP (P<0.01), NDF, and ADF were higher (P<0.05) between the treatments. Average daily gain (ADG) was higher (P<0.01) for sheep in feed 27.6% S.sesban leaves + 27.6% hay + 44.8% than those in feed S. sesban leaves alone. Increased level of S. sesban leaves supplement, in general, reduced growth in this study. However, there was no difference between 27.6% S.sesban leaves + 27.6% hay + 44.8% and 38.6% hay + 61.4% NSC. Estimation of enteric methane emissions factor and daily methane production was higher (P<0.01) in treatments T2 as compared to T3 and T1. And also, T3 higher than T1. Thus, it can be concluded that S. sesban leaves can be promoted as valuable feed resources for ruminants while concurrently reducing methane emissions.