Performance and Economic Analysis of Yankasa Rams Fed Guinea Grass Supplemented with Graded Levels of Wild Purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.)

Abstract

The study evaluated the performance and economic implications of feeding Yankasa rams guinea grass supplemented with different levels of wild purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.). Twelve rams with an average initial weight of 15.7 kg were used in a 62-day feeding trial. They were randomly assigned to four dietary treatments in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD), with three animals per treatment. Each animal was fed individually twice daily, and feed intake was monitored by recording leftovers. The treatments included: T₁ (control) – guinea grass ad libitum + 100 g maize offal (MO); T₂ – guinea grass ad libitum + 100 g fresh purslane + 100 g MO; T₃ – guinea grass ad libitum + 200 g fresh purslane + 100 g MO; and T₄ – guinea grass ad libitum + 300 g fresh purslane + 100 g MO. Data collected were analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were compared with Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Results indicated that rams fed T₄ (300 g purslane) recorded significantly higher (P<0.05) final body weight, average daily weight gain, and total dry matter intake compared to other treatments. However, feed conversion ratio (FCR) did not differ significantly (P>0.05) across groups. In terms of cost, the highest production expense (₦555.21) occurred in T₁, while inclusion of purslane reduced feeding costs. In conclusion, supplementing guinea grass with up to 300 g/day of wild purslane enhanced growth performance and lowered production costs in Yankasa rams, making it a viable feed strategy for sheep production.