Inglês Intake, nutrient digestibility, nitrogen balance, and rumen parameters of Balami, Udah and Yankasa sheep breeds fed Brachiaria decumbens or Digitaria smutsii hay

The objective of this experiment was to compare three Nigeria sheep breeds fed Brachiaria decumbens (Stapf) or Digitaria smutsii (Stent) hay for performance, intake, digestibility, and rumen parameters. Each of the three breeds of sheep, which weighed on average 24.7, 25.5, and 25.5 kg (Balami, Uda, and Yankasa, respectively) were assigned to a 2 × 3 completely randomized design. There were significant (p < 0.05) differences among breeds, with Balami and Uda presenting the highest intake, rumen parameters, average daily weight gain (ADG) and final body weight (FBW). Sheep fed D. smutsii hay presented higher (p < 0.05) digestibility, ADG and FBW than those fed B. decumbens hay. Balami and Uda breeds fed D. smutsii had improved rumen pH, VFA production, and N-NH3 production, and consequently had improved digestibility and growth performance when compared to the Yankasa breed fed B. decumbens hay. It is important to note that the effectiveness of different types of forage and the response of different sheep breeds to those forages can vary based on several factors, including the nutritional content of the forage, the age and health of the animals, and environmental conditions.