Effects of Tripsacum Laxum and Leucaena Leucocephala Supplementary Feeding on Growth of Wad Sheep and Goats Grazing Natural Pasture.

A study of the effects of Tripsacum laxum and Leucaena leucocephala supplementary feeding on growth of West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep and goats grazing on natural pasture in the North West Region of Cameroon, was conducted at IRAD Mankon on 42 WAD sheep and goats (21 sheep and 21 goats) in the dry season (November 2008 to February 2009). The experiment consisted of 3 treatments: (a) Leucaena leaves fed as supplement at the rate of 254.3±0.00 gDM/h/d, (b) Tripsacum fed as supplement at the rate of 314..3±0.00 gDM/h/d and (c) no supplementation (control group).The three treatments were allocated at random to the 21 animals of each species (7 animals per treatment).All the animals grazed on natural pasture as basal diet. Animals were dewormed prior to commencement of the study and weighed twice a month. Supplementation reduced mortality and significantly increased daily weight gains in the Leucaena supplemented sheep and goats (32.5±0.33 and 42.2±0.46g/h/d respectively,