Tropentag, September 14 - 16, 2010 in Zurich "World Food System – A Contribution from Europe"

Effect of Management and Feed Supplement on the Performance and Fertility of Desert Sheep Raised under Range Conditions of Kordofan

¹Peace University, Animal Production and Range, Sudan
²University of Khartoum, Meat Production, Sudan

Abstract

The study was conducted in North Kordofan State, Sudan with the objective of studying the effects of pattern of husbandry and addition of concentrates on desert ewes' fertility, lambs' body measurements, and birth weight as studying the effects of type of birth, sex of lamb on those characteristics and live weight changes of lambs that grazed natural pasture.
The study used (80) Hammari desert ewes and three rams by the rate of ram ∕ 27 ewes, the ewes were randomly divided into four equal groups (each with 20 ewes). No significant differences were detected among groups at the beginning of the experiment. The first group left to graze the natural grazing from 6 pm to 7: am, stayed under shade from 8: am to 5: pm and watered once every 3 days, the second group allowed grazing natural grazing from 6: pm to 7: am, stayed under shade from 8: am to 5: pm and drank daily, the third group was kept on natural grazing from 6: pm to 7: am stayed in under shade from 8: am to 5: pm drank daily and offered concentrate at the rate of 1kg/ewe/day, while lambs in the same group were offered concentrate at the rate of 250 g / head / day and the fourth group was left on the natural grazing all the day watered once every five days as followed traditionally representing control.
The birth weight, weekly body weight, body measurement monthly was recorded. Also number of pregnant and non pregnant ewes and the number of delivery and abortion ewes was recorded.
The results showed that third groups (C) supplemented ewes recorded higher fertility rates, number of twins, weaning percentage and low abortion percentage compared with the control. The results also revealed that the third groups (C) lambs that their dams were supplemented recorded the highest birth weight. Type and sex of birth of lambs had positive effects on birth weights so that single birth was higher than twins and weight of male birth was higher than female birth.

Keywords: Feed supplementation, Fertility, Kordofan, management, Performance

Contact Address: Salah Abdelgabar, Peace University, Animal Production and Range, Khartoum North Shambat, Khartoum, Sudan, e-mail: bukhari.salahyahoo.com