VERNONIA-AMYGDALINA AS A SUPPLEMENT TO TEFF STRAW (ERAGROSTIS TEF) FED TO ETHIOPIAN MENZ SHEEP

Sixteen rumen fistulated Ethiopian Menz type sheep were used in a comp letely randomized block design (CRBD) in experiment 1. Unchopped teff straw was fed alone or supplemented with either 100, 150 or 200 g/d of sun-dried vernonia leaves. The chemical compositions of fresh, boiled , water-soaked and sun-dried vernonia and soluble carbohydrate (SC) lo ss by boiling were determined. In experiment 2, 25 growing Ethiopian M enz type sheep, were fed teff straw alone or supplemented with 120 g ( DM) of either boiled (B) or soaked (S) fresh vernonia with or without molasses (M) (50 g). SC lost by boiling fresh vernonia for 15, 30, 45 or 60 min was determined. In experiment 1, boiling increased the nitro gen (N) concentration in vernonia but sun-drying reduced it. N bound t o fibre (NDF-N) was reduced by boiling but not by soaking. SC loss inc reased with boiling time. Supplementation did not affect the degradati on constants (a, b, PD, c) of teff straw, but DM disappearance was inc reased (p < 0.05) at 76 and 120 h of incubation. Intake of sun-dried v ernonia was poor but increased with quantity offered. Intakes and dige stibilities of DM, OM and the fibre fractions were marginally higher ( p > 0.05) in the supplemented diets. Nitrogen balance in the supplemen ted diets was low due to increased faecal and urinary excretion. In ex periment 2, rumen NH3-N was higher for the boiled treatments compared to the soaked treatments. Acceptability at both 2 and 4 h was highest for BM, followed by SM, B and S. Boiling for 30 min, but not soaking, enhanced the acceptability of vernonia, suggesting that a pretreatment may enhance the feed value of vernonia.