Food Science & Nutrition (Dec 2023)

Performances, carcass characteristics, and economic benefit of yearling Hararghe highland rams fed diet containing concentrate mixtures and sugarcane bagasse or rice husk treated with Trichoderma viride and effective microorganisms

  • Regasa Begna,
  • Mengistu Urge,
  • Tegene Negesse,
  • Getachew Animut

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/fsn3.3687
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 12
pp. 7686 – 7697

Abstract

Read online

Abstract The productivity of small ruminants in Ethiopia is low due to a shortage of feed supply throughout the year, both in terms of quality and quantity. This problem leads to the utilization of locally available lignocellulose by‐products, which encompass high cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. It is known that the nutritive value of these lignocellulose by‐products can be improved through biological, chemical, or a combination of both treatments This study was aimed at evaluating body weight change, carcass characteristics, and economic efficiency of rams fed a total mixed diet containing biologically treated rice husk (RH) or sugarcane bagasse (SCB). Thirty‐six sheep, weighing an average initial body weight of 18 ± 1.8 kg were used. Two feeds (SCB and RH) and three biological treatments (Control, Trichoderma viride [Tv], and effective microbes [EM]) were used with a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in 2 × 3 factorial arrangements. Ram fed on RH containing diets had higher dry matter intake (DMI) (g/h/day), DMI (% of BW), DMI (g/kg BW0.75), average daily gain (ADG) (106 vs. 53 g/day), and feed conversion efficiency (FCE) (0.107 vs. 0.076) than SCB containing diets. Ram fed diets containing biologically treated roughages had significantly higher (p .05) difference was found between diets based on biologically treated roughage. Profitability analysis indicated that sheep fattening on a diet containing RH and by‐products treated with Tv and EM showed greater profitability than untreated SCB. The authors had concluded that fattening sheep on diets containing RH results in higher feed intake, better body weight gain, more carcasses and higher profits, but optimum inclusion levels need further research, for either treated or untreated SCB.

Keywords