Growth, carcass yield and meat quality attributes of Red Maasai sheep fed wheat straw-based diets.

Thirty-two castrated Red Maasai sheep (12.7 kg initial body weight, aged 12-18 months), were used in an 84-day experiment to evaluate diets based on treated straw upon growth performance, carcass yield and meat quality. The animals were blocked by weight into four similar groups and randomly allotted into four dietary treatments, with eight individually fed animals per treatment. The dietary treatments were ad libitum untreated wheat straw (UTS), wheat straw treated with urea and lime (TS), straw and ad libitum hay (UTSH), and TS and ad libitum hay (TSH). In addition, each experimental animal received 220 g/day (on as fed basis) of a concentrate diet. Treatment of straw increased (P < 0.05) dry matter intake (42.3 vs. 33.7 g/kg W (75)/day), energy intake (4.6 vs. 3.7 MJ ME/d) and the average daily gain (40.7 vs. 23.1 g). Animals on TS produced heavier (P < 0.05) carcasses (6.6 vs. 5.4 kg) with superior conformation than animals on UTS. Percentage cooking loss was higher in carcasses from animals fed TS compared to those from other diets. Except M. longissimus dorsi and M. semitendinosus, tenderness of muscles was not affected by diet but ageing of meat improved (P < 0.001) tenderness. Overall, straw treatment increased carcass yields with limited effects on meat quality attributes.

Yield and mineral content of ten enset (Ensete ventricosum) varieties.

A study was conducted to evaluate the macro and trace mineral contents often enset varieties collected from Sidama zone of southern Ethiopia. Samples of leaf lamina, leaf midrib, pseudostem and corm were taken from ten enset varieties at the age of 5 to 6 years during the main rainy season. The dry weight of each variety and fraction were also determined. Mineral contents in fractions of different enset varieties were analysed and compared with nutrient requirements of ruminants. The contribution of different enset fractions to the total dry weight was variable (P<0.05), the highest being from pseudostem and the lowest from leaf lamina. There were varietal differences (P<0.05) in macro and trace mineral content in different fractions except phosphorus (P) content of leaf lamina. Most enset fractions were rich sources of major minerals such as P, potassium (K), calcium (Ca) (except corm) and magnesium (Mg). Sodium (Na) content was very low. Most fractions were rich in iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn), but deficient in copper (Cu), except leaf lamina. Zinc (Zn) content was high in corm, but low in other fractions. This account of the macro and trace mineral content of different enset varieties and fractions could help in strategic supplementation intended to alleviate mineral deficiencies.