Appraisal of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) hay as a replacement for noug seed (Guizotia abissynica) cake in the ration of Gumuz lambs in Ethiopia

Background The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement value of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) hay for noug seed (Guizotia abissynica) cake on dry matter (DM) and nutrient intake, nutrient digestibility, body weight change, carcass characteristics and economic feasibility of the feeding regime of Gumuz lambs. Methods The study was conducted using 25 yearling intact male lambs with an initial body weight of 18.26 ± 0.63 kg (mean ± SD).The lambs were assigned into five treatments: (T1) 272.3 g noug seed cake (NSC); (T2) 200.73 g NSC + 105.55 g cowpea Sewinet variety hay (CSH); (T3) 134.3 g NSC + 211.86 g CSH; (T4) 66.31 g NSC + 313.79 g CSH and (T5) 417.98 g CSH on DM basis. The experiment was conducted using a randomized complete block design (RCBD), and lambs were blocked based on their initial body weight. The feeding trial was conducted for 90 days followed by 7 days of digestibility trial. Natural pasture hay was treated with molasses solution for improvement of palatability and digestibility and offered for all experimental lambs in ad libitum. Results The crude protein (CP) contents of natural pasture hay (NPH), CSH and NSC were 4.99, 18.31 and 36.5%, respectively. The total DM intakes of lambs (P