Evaluation of the use of Buddleia skutchii tree leaves and Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) grass hay in sheep feeding

Sixteen growing intact male Criollo sheep, 19.9±2.5 kg initial live weight, were randomly allocated to metabolic cages. Four treatments with four replications were evaluated. The treatments were: T1=100% Kikuyu (Pennisetum clandestinum) grass hay (KGH); T2=25% Buddleia skutchii leaves (BSL)+75% KGH; T3=50% BSL+50% KGH, and T4=75% BSL+25% KGH. The highest (P<0.05) dry matter intake (DMI) was for T2; the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) intake for both T1 and T2 (535 and 563 g per day, respectively) were similar (P>0.05) and both were higher in comparison with the rest of the treatments. Digestibilities of dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), NDF and acid detergent fibre (ADF) were not statistically different (P>0.05) for treatments T1, T2 and T3, and both T1 and T2 were significantly (P<0.05) higher than T4. The daily live weight gains (DLWG; 19.5 and 19.0 g per day, respectively) were similar for both T1 and T2, and significantly higher than T3 and T4. The total wool production (WP) and manure production results were not statistically different between treatments (P>0.05). Nevertheless, there was a clear tendency in reduced DMI, digestibilities and DLWG when replacing KGH with 50 or 75% of BSL. In addition, a basic economic evaluation was carried out. The best net benefit (NB; US $1.01) and direct return rate (DRR; US $0.32) was for T1, but both NB and DRR were reduced for all levels of BSL inclusions.