EFFECT OF WHOLE-COTTON SEED SUPPLEMENTATION ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE AND HAEMATOLOGICAL PROPERTIES OF DJALLONKE SHEEP IN THE DRY SEASON

Abstract

An 8-week feeding trial was carried out to investigate the effect of whole-cotton seed (WCS) supplementation on the growth performance and some blood constituents of Djallonke sheep fed rice straw. A total of 12 sheep with an initial weight of 13.7 ± 0.20 kg were randomly assigned to one of three treatments (four animals per treatment). The treatments consisted of no supplementation (T0) and supplementation with 200 g /head/d (T1) or 400 g/head/d (T2) on as fed basis. Feed intake, growth performance and some haematogical parameters (haemoglobin [Hb], packed cell volume [PCV], white blood cells [WBC], red blood cells [RBC]) were measured. Differential leukocyte (lymphocytes, neutriphils, eosinophils, monocytes and basophils) counts were also determined. Intake of basal diet was higher (P<0.05) for sheep supplemented with 400 g/head/d than for those receiving 200 g/head/d and WCS intake was higher (P<0.05) for sheep fed T2 than for those fed the T1 diet. Feeding the basal diet only resulted in weight loss and high mortalities. Haemoglobin concentration, PCV, and WBC and RBC counts increased with supplementation but the difference between T1 and T2 for these measurements was not significant (P>0.05). Eosinophilia increased (P>0.05) with increasing level of supplementation. This study suggests that WCS is a good source of rumen degradable protein and can help reduce the decline in growth of sheep especially in the dry season.