Energy and protein requirements of West African Dwarf Sheep 1. Effect of four levels of daietary energy to sheep

Abstract

The extent to which varying levels of dietary protein fed to ruminants is utilized for maintenance, growth and lactation of temperate sheep breeds is well documented in the literature. Voluntary intake and the apparent digestibility of the dry matter and energy of rations is reported to be unaffected by the protein content of the rations (Preston,Schnakenberg and Pfander, 1965; Braman, Hatfield, Owens and Lewis, 1973; Reid and Holmes, 1956; Peterson, Hatfield and Garrigus,1973; Jones, Cecyre and Gaudreau, 1973) but additional dietary protein significantly increased the apparent digestion coefficient of dietary protein, live weight gain, and efficiency of feed utilization (Hudson, Glimp and Little,1967; Bond, Everson, Gutierrez and Warwick,1962; Rea and Ross, 1960; Broster, Tuck and Smith. 1969). This paper reports the effect of feeding increasing levels of dietary protein to West African Dwarf Sheep (WADS).