Leguminous browse supplementation effect on the agronomic value of sheep and goat manure

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to monitor the trend of N build-up in wood shavings used as bedding for sheep/goats fed on leguminous fodder supplementation and to determine effects of increasing levels of supplementation in the diet on manurial value of the litter. Basal diet consisting of ad libitum guinea grass (Panicum maximum) was supplemented with leguminous fodder at four levels: 200, 400, 800, 1200 g DM/head/day. Samples of wood shavings mixed with faeces, urine and spilled feed were taken at 2-week intervals after penning the animals for a period of 7 weeks and then analysed for N content. Manure from the four feed types was compared at three rates of application (4, 8, 12g/kg soil) in a pot trial. A second trial was run to test effects of increasing levels of wood shavings on immobilization of applied and native N. Generally, accumulation of N in litter increased progressively with time. Increasing leguminous fodder supplementation in the diet improved manurial value of bedding. Wood shavi...