The Effects of Restricted Intakes on the Digestibility of Hays by East African Hair-Sheep and Zebu Oxen

Abstract

In digestibility trials with local fat-tailed sheep and Zebu oxen, maintenance, submaintenance and supermaintenance rations of chaffed hay were compared. With the sheep there was no significant difference between digestibility coefficients when 75, 80 or 100 per cent. of maintenance was given. With oxen digestibility of crude fibre increased with each decrease in the hay intake. The differences in starch equivalent of the feed at the different levels was not significant, but there was a slight decrease when more than the maintenance ration was given. In 2 of 6 hays used the value for available digest ible crude protein was significantly increased when the ration was fed at below maintenance level. The results are discussed in relation to the importance of the effect of restricted watering on the dry matter intake of cattle in the locality considered. T. D. Bell.