The Effects of Feeding Acacia tortilis Pods and GroundnutCake on Lambs’Performance under Range Conditions in North Kordofan State, Sudan

Abstract

This study was conducted in north Kordofan State, Sudan during the dry season with the objectives of studying the effects of supplementary feeding of Acacia tortilis (seal) pods on growth, body measurements and some hematological metabolites and minerals of newly weaned ewe lambs. Sixty ewe lambs of desert sheep were used in this trial, lambs were grouped into three groups, one group was left on natural grazing (NG) as a control; the second was supplemented with groundnut cake (NG+GNSC) 250 g/head/ day, while the third group was supplemented with seyal pods (NG+SP) 250g/head/ day. Water was provided once every two days. Body weight and body measurements were taken at the beginning of experiment and then monthly during the dry season, monthly blood samples were collected for packed cell volume (PCV), hemoglobin (Hb), blood glucose, total protein, Calcium (Ca) and phosphorus analysis. The results of the study indicated that, body weight of ewe lambs were higher supplemented group with seyal pods and to 33.62kg for those supplemented with groundnut seed cake. Body length also increased significantly on NG+GNSC and NG+SP. No significant differences among the three groups of animals on heart girth. Furthermore, no differences were found in blood parameters, but it was observed that Hb concentration had relatively decreased in all animals. The results of this study clearly indicated that seyal pods could be used as a supplement for growing ewe lambs and results obtained were comparable to that of using groundnut cake. Keywords: Acacia tortilis pods, groundnut Cake, lambs’ performance, North Kordofan State, Sudan