Impact of Supplementing Urea-Molasses Multi-Nutrient Block (UMMB) on Growth Performance of Crossbred Sheep

Abstract

The urea-molasses-multi-nutrient block (UMMB) supplementation can be an efficient method to maximize rumen microbial activity through a balanced supply of protein, energy, minerals, and vitamins as the grazing of sheep on pastures may not meet their nutritional needs. The purpose of the study was to ascertain how crossbred sheep's growth was impacted by UMMB supplementation throughout varying time periods. Twelve crossbred male sheep were split up into four treatment groups with three replications on the basis of their initial body weight. Control group (T₀) continued to graze normally 10-h day^-1, while groups T₁, T₂, and T₃ were access to lick UMMB for 1-h, 1.5-h, and 2-h day^-1, respectively with 10-h grazing period. Sheep licking UMMB for 2 hours was found to have the numerically highest body weight (p>0.05). After 13 weeks of licking UMMB, their final body weights were 17.37±2.18 kg, 19.20±2.46 kg, 21.13±5.31 kg, and 22.27±2.58 kg, respectively for T₀, T₁, T₂, and T₃ groups. At weeks 2, 5, 7, 10 and 13, sheep's ADG (g) differed among sheep groups licked UMMB at various durations (p<0.05). Similarly, at week 6, 9 and 12, the ADG (g) also differed significantly among sheep groups licked UMMB at various durations (p<0.01). ADG (g) for whole experimental period (90 days) were 34.15±4.56, 59.26±5.82, 82.96±8.19 and 90.48±9.39, respectively for T₀, T₁, T₂, and T₃ groups (p<0.001). It can be concluded that the ADG increased linearly and significantly with increasing of the UMMB licking period and 2-h licking ensured maximum growth performance in crossbred sheep.