Effects of mulberry leaves to replace rapeseed meal on performance of sheep feeding on ammoniated rice straw diet

• Published in: Small ruminant research 2001-02, Vol.39 (2), p.131-136
• Main Authors: Liu, J.X, Yao, Jun, Yan, B, Yu, J.Q, Shi, Z.Q
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Ammoniated rice straw; Growth rate; Lambs; Mulberry leaves; Rapeseed meal
• ISSN: 0921-4488; 1879-0941
• DOI: 10.1016/S0921-4488(00)00180-2

This study was conducted to investigate effects of leaves of mulberry tree ( Morus alba) as a protein supplement to isonitrogenously replace rapeseed meal (RSM) on performance of growing lambs offered ammoniated rice straw (ABRS) (Trial 1), and to evaluate the digestive characteristics of the ABRS supplemented with different ratios of RSM and mulberry leaves in terms of in vitro gas production (Trial 2). In Trial 1, 45 Huzhou lambs were divided into five equal groups according to their body weight and gender. Lambs in each group were kept in three pens (male, female and mixed (one male and two females)), and received one of the following dietary treatments: 100 g RSM (A), 75 g RSM plus 60 g mulberry leaves (B), 50 g RSM plus 120 g mulberry leaves (C), 25 g RSM plus 180 g mulberry leaves (D), and 240 g mulberry leaves (E). All animals were given ABRS ad libitum along with 100 g ground corn per head per day. The intake of ABRS was slightly increased with the supplementary level of mulberry leaves, and hence total intake increased with the increasing level of mulberry leaves. The growth rates were higher in diets A and E than those in other treatments ( P