Ensilaje de pasto King Grass (Pennisetum spp.) en levante de ovinos de pelo con suplementación de tres leguminosas.

Abstract

The objective of this research was to compare the use of three legumes (Tithonia diversifolia, Pueraria phaseoloides, Gliricidia sepium) as a feed supplement in a King Grass (Pennisetum spp.) silage diet in rearing tropical sheep. The supply of the supplement was calculated based on 10% of the living weight and was administered twice per day (07:00 and 17:00). The sheep had an average age and weight of 5 months and 33.89 kg, respectively, the weighing was carried out during a period of two months. The treatments to be evaluated were four with three repetitions, T0 = King Grass silage (control); T1 = King Grass silage + Tithonia diversifolia; T2 = King Grass silage + Kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides); T3 = Silage of King Grass + Gliricidia sepium. Student's "t" test was applied because of is a type of deductive statistic. The Tithonia diversifolia treatment (81.56 kg) had the lowest consumption and the highest weight gain (1.52 kg) therefore, it is the treatment that reflects the best feed conversion. Tithonia diversifolia has the best rearing yields in sheep due to its high total nitrogen content, allowing its fast degradability and fermentation at the ruminal process, which would explain the excellent feed conversion of these legumes as a supplement in the diet of ruminants.