Use of a novel fodder herb, Commelina species, in Black Head Ogaden lambs: nutrient utilization, weight gain performance, and economic viability

Figures & data

Table 1. Diet composition of the feeding experiment.

Treatment	Teff straw	DMSL (g DM)	C. benghalensis (g DM)	C. imberbis (g DM)	Concentrate mix (g DM)
1	Ad libitum	120	-	-	-
2	Ad libitum	120	300	-	-
3	Ad libitum	120	-	300	-
4	Ad libitum	120	-	-	300

DMSL, Dried M. stenopetala leaves; Concentrate = wheat bran + maize + Noug Seed cake (2:1:1).

Table 2. The chemical composition of treatment feeds.

Feed	DM	Ash	OM	CP	NDF	ADF	ADL
Teff straw	93.74	6.27	87.47	5.97	66.41	32.73	4.76
DMSL	93.03	10.27	82.76	27.26	18.73	10.31	2.98
C. benghalensis	93.27	17.07	76.19	12.11	43.69	28.47	7.46
C. imberbis	91.56	16.91	74.65	14.88	42.34	24.68	6.07
Concentrate	92.40	13.16	79.24	19.34	36.30	19.11	4.08
Teff straw Refusals
T1	92.91	6.36	86.55	3.98	66.67	33.11	4.81
T2	92.62	6.55	86.07	4.17	66.97	35.39	5.17
T3	93.70	6.79	86.91	4.32	64.79	33.38	4.65
T4	92.30	6.10	86.20	4.32	64.79	33.38	4.65

DM, dry matter; OM, organic matter; CP, crude protein; NDF, neutral detergent fibre; ADF, acid detergent fibre; ADL, acid detergent lignin; T1, Teff straw ad libitum +120g Dried M. stenopetala leaves (DMSL); T2, Teff straw ad libitum + 120g DMSL + 300g C. benghalensis; T3, Teff straw ad libitum + 120g DMSL + 300g C. imberbis; T4, Teff straw ad libitum +120g DMSL + 300g concentrate.

Table 3. Daily nutrient intake of intact yearling Black Head Ogaden lambs supplemented with Commelina species.

Intake (g/d)	Treatments, mean					P- value
	T1	T2	T3	T4	SEM
Teff straw DM	322.44^c	366.07^b	377.38^b	487.64^a	15.78	<0.0001
Total DM	442.44^c	786.07^b	797.38^b	907.64^a	42.45	<0.0001
OM	386.94^c	649.4^b	653.85^b	764.69^a	33.91	<0.0001
CP	54.23^d	92.63^c	101.35^b	121.41^a	5.89	<0.0001
NDF	240.98^c	394.27^b	401.55^b	454.78^a	19.63	<0.0001
ADF	119.83^d	209.35^c	215.04^b	228.35^a	10.52	<0.0001

^a,b,c,d means within a row not bearing a common superscript are significantly different; ADF, acid detergent fibre; ADL, acid detergent lignin; CP, crude protein; DM, dry matter; OM, organic matter; NDF, neutral detergent fibre; T1, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g Dried M. stenopetala leaves (DMSL); T2, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g C. benghalensis; T3, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g C.imberbis; T4, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g concentrate; P, probability; SEM, standard error of mean.

Table 4. Apparent nutrient digestibility (%) of intact yearling Black Head Ogaden lambs supplemented with Commelina species.

Nutrients	Treatments, % average					P value
	T1	T2	T3	T4	SEM
DM	59.8^c	65.8^b	69.6^ab	72.6^a	0.0169	0.0002
OM	63.4^c	68.3^b	71.9^ab	75.7^a	0.0156	0.0001
CP	67.2^c	71.1^bc	73.7^b	81.0^a	0.0165	0.0016
NDF	61.0^c	64.7^bc	69.6^ab	72.2^a	0.0169	0.0196
ADF	53.9^b	60.1^ab	62.5^a	64.0^a	0.0166	0.039

^a,b,c means within a row not bearing a common superscript are significantly different; ADF, acid detergent fibre; ADL, acid detergent lignin; CP = crude protein; DM = dry matter; OM,organic matter; NDF, neutral detergent fibre; T1, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g Dried Moringa stenopetala leaves (DMSL); T2, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g C.benghalensis; T3, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g C.imberbis; T4, Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g concentrat; P, probality; SEM, standard error of mean.

Table 5. Body weight parameters and feed conversion efficiency of intact yearling Black Head Ogaden lambs supplemented with Commelina species.

Parameters	Treatments
	T1	T2	T3	T4	SEM	P
Initial body weight (kg)	19.62	19.84	19.98	19.46	0.36	0.293
Final body weight (kg)	21.05^c	22.51^b	23.01^ab	23.82^a	0.47	0.0023
Body weight gain (kg)	1.43^c	2.67^b	3.04^b	4.36^a	0.27	<0.0001
Average daily gain (g/d)	23.83^c	44.53^b	50.63^b	72.69^a	4.53	<0.0001
FCE (g ADG/g DMI)	0.0538^b	0.0565^b	0.0637^ab	0.0802^a	0.0034	P < 0.05

^a,b,c means within a row not bearing a common superscript are significantly different; CP = crude protein; DM = dry matter; OM = organic matter; NDF = neutral detergent fibre; T1 =  Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g Dried M. stenopetala leaves (DMSL); T2 =  Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g C.benghalensis; T3 =  Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g C.imberbis; T4 =  Teff straw ad libitum + 120 g DMSL + 300 g concentrate; SL = significance level; SEM = standard error of mean.

Figure 1. Body weight changing trend of intact yearling Black Head Ogaden lambs supplemented with Commelina species.

Table 6. Partial budget analysis of Commelina supplementation to intact yearling Black Head Ogaden lambs.

Parameters	Treatments
	T1	T2	T3	T4
Purchase price per lambs (ETB)	1,004	1,006	1,006	1,004
Hay consumed (kg/lamb)	19.34	21.96	22.64	29.25
DMSL consumed (kg/ lamb)	7.2	7.2	7.2	7.2
C. benghalensis consumed (Kg/ lamb)	-	18	-	-
C. imberbis consumed (Kg/ lamb)	-	-	18	-
Concentrate consumed (kg/ lamb)	-	-	-	18
Feed costs
Cost of Teff straw (ETB/ lamb)	96.7	109.8	113.2	146.25
Cost of DMSL (ETB/ lamb)	16.2	16.2	16.2	16.2
Cost of C. benghalensis (ETB/lamb)	-	36	-	-
Cost of C. imberbis (ETB/ lamb)		-	36
Cost of concentrate (ETB/lamb)	-	-	-	324
TVC (ETB/ lamb)	1116.90	1,168	1,171.40	1490.45
Gross return (ETB/ lamb)	2045.00	2190.00	2224.00	2500.00
Total return (TR) (ETB/ lamb)	1,041	1,184	1,218	1,496
Net return (NR) (ETB/ lamb)	−75.90	16.00	46.60	5.55
Change in total return (ETB/ lamb)	-	143.00	177.00	455.00
Change of total variable cost (ΔTVC)	-	51.10	54.50	373.55
Change in net income (ΔNI) (ETB/ lamb)	-	91.90	122.50	81.45
Marginal Rate of Return (MRR) (ΔNI/ΔTVC)	-	1.798	2.248	0.218

Data availability statement

The data that support this study will be shared upon reasonable request to the corresponding author.