The effect of leucaena hay as a source of effective fibre and nutrients in diets with forage palm for finishing sheep in semi-arid regions.

The present study was conducted to evaluate the intake, digestibility and nitrogen balance of diets for finishing sheep, containing leucaena hay as a source of effective fibre and forage palm. Twenty-one male sheep were used in a randomized block design with three treatments, represented by total diets, where the forage was leucaena hay and forage palm in natura in proportions 350:650, 450:550 and 550:450 g/kg respectively. For the pH and NH3 -N in the ruminal fluid, and urea in the blood serum, plots split in time were adopted. Dry matter and nutrient digestibility, and the nitrogen balance were not influenced (p > .05) by the diets. The neutral detergent fibre digestibility decreased (p < .05) as the proportions of leucaena hay in the diets increased. The pH and NH3 -N were suitable for ruminal fermentation, and blood urea was maintained under normal physiological conditions for sheep. Combining 350 to 550 g/kg of leucaena hay with 450 to 650 g/kg of forage palm in total diets with a forage:concentrate ratio of 60:40 in late-maturing sheep meets the nutritional requirements for daily gain 200 g, characterizing leucaena hay as important source of effective fibre and nutrients in diets.