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† Corresponding author 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

EFFECTS OF DRIED RUMEN CONTENTS LEVEL IN RATIONS ON THE 

PERFORMANCE OF SHUGOR DESERT SHEEP IN HALFA ELGADEDA, 

KASSALA STATE, SUDAN 

 

Amani A. B. Osman1 --- Asma H.M. Hamed2† --- Mohmed E. Elimam3 

 
1Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Kassala University, Halfa Elgadeda, Sudan  

2 Department of Animal Productions, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, University of Gadarif, Sudan 

3Goat Research Centre, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Gezira 

 

ABSTRACT 

Twelve Shugor Desert lambs at 9-12 month old and weighing about 25kg were used to study effects of 

different levels of dried rumen contents in rations on lamb’s performance in Halfa Elgadeda, Kassala State, 

Sudan. The animals were divided into three groups according to body weight and allocated at random to 

isonitrogenous and isocaloric rations with 0, 5 or 10% dried rumen contents. They were offered the rations 

ad lib. in one meal at 8 am. They were allowed a 15 days preliminary period and fattened for 49 days. 

Barseem (Medicago sativa) was fed once weekly. The data was statistically analyzed according to the 

completely randomized design. Final BW, daily feed intake, total weight gain and daily weight gain varied 

among different levels of dried rumen contents in rations, but not significantly (P>0.05). They were highest 

in animals fed 10% dried rumen contents and least in animals fed no dried rumen contents. Final BW (kg) 

was 30.27, 31.25 and 31.75 in animals fed 0, 5 and 10% dried rumen contents, respectively. Daily feed 

intake (kg/day) was 01.20, 01.27 and 01.28, respectively. Total weight gain (kg) was 4.25, 4.63 and 5.75, 

respectively. Daily weight gain (g) was 150, 165 and 207, respectively. Feed conversion ratio varied among 

levels of dried rumen contents in rations, but not significantly (P>0.05). It was 8.81, 7.87 and 7.61 in 

animals fed 0, 5 and 10% dried rumen contents, respectively. 

Keywords: Rumen contents, Performance, Desert sheep, feed conversion ratio, Sudan.   

 

Received: 14 February 2015/ Revised: 30 June 2015/ Accepted: 4 July 2015/ Published: 9 July 2015 

 

 

Animal Review 
2015 Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 81-86 
ISSN(e): 2409-6490 
ISSN(p): 2412-3382 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.ar/2015.2.4/101.4.81.86 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

 
 
 

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Animal Review, 2015, 2(4): 81-86 

 

 
82 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

Contribution/ Originality 

This study is one of very few studies which have investigated the effect of dried rumen 

content on the performance of shugor lambs. Its primary contribution is finding that dried rumen 

contents had no negative effects on lambs’ performance and it can be added up to 10% in the 

rations.  

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

Sheep production is very important in the Sudan including Halfa Elgadida area in the Butana 

plain, Kassala State, Sudan due to high population, wide distribution, reputed breeds and 

contribution to meat self-sufficiency and exports [1]. Sudanese sheep meat is highly demanded 

since they depend on rangeland and no feed additives or growth promoters are used which affect 

humans and animals health. Nutrition is a major obstacle for sheep production due to rangeland 

deterioration for many reasons [2, 3]. In addition there are seasonal variations in rangeland 

plants types, biomass and quality with serious impacts on animal’s health and performance, 

especially in the dry season [4]. It was concluded that Desert sheep production systems are 

determined by nutritional seasonality [5]. 

 The deficit in animal feeds was 23.689 million tones DM. Agro- industrial by products are 

important in filling the nutritional deficit, especially in the dry season [6]. However, crop 

residues generally have low nutritive value due to low CP and high fibres and hence low 

digestibility, feed intake and animals’ performance [7]. Concentrates are not commonly used in 

traditional systems due to high cost. It is important to exploit cheap feeds including animal 

wastes to reduce cost and improve nutritive value, performance and profits and avoid pollution.  

Slaughter houses by products including blood, bone and meat meals and rumen contents are 

used as animal feeds. Rumen contents alone or mixed partially replaced protein or energy in 

ruminants feeds [8, 9].  Rumen contents result mainly from anaerobic fermentation and 

production of high quality microbial protein and volatile fatty acids and significant amounts of 

microbial storage carbohydrates, lipids and minerals [10]. The proximate analysis of rumen 

contents in the Sudan was 95.54% DM, 18.83% CF, 13.21% CP, 0.62 EE, 39.57% ash and 27.77% 

NFE and gross energy was 4186 kcal [11].  It also had 14.4%, 4.2%, 41.1% and 9.7% CP, EE, 

ADF and ash, respectively in feedlot steers [9] Rumen contents composition in cattle was 12%, 

.16.2, 25.4%, 2.3, 13.5, 0.21 and 0.62 for DM, CP, CF, EE, ash, Ca and P, respectively and 

calculated ME was 17.3Mj/kg DM [12]. 

 In Holstein steers fed diets with 30% Alfalfa hay (ALF) or dried rumen contents (DRC) the 

latter  decreased  OM and ADF rumen digestion, OM postruminal digestion and OM, ADF , N 

and DE total tract digestion [13]. It increased ruminal microbial and N efficiency. Estimated DE 

was 1.21 Mcal/ kg for DRC and approximately 51% of medium-quality alfalfa hay.  

Dried rumen contents had no negative effects on diets acceptability. There is no available 

information on using rumen contents in sheep rations in Halfa Elgadida. Consequently, Shugor 



Animal Review, 2015, 2(4): 81-86 

 

 
83 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

sheep were fed rations with different levels of rumen contents to determine the effects on sheep 

performance. 

 

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS 

2.1. Study Area 

The study described below was conducted in the goat pens in the animal production farm in 

the Faculty of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Kassala University in Halfa Elgadida, 

Kassala State in June and July 2013. 

 

2.2. Animals 

Twelve Shugor Desert male lambs at 9-12 month old and weighing about 25.kg were used in 

this study.  They were bought from Halfa Elgadida livestock market and transported by car to the 

animal production farm. They were rested, ear tagged and housed in individual pens shaded with 

corrugated iron sheets and feed and water troughs were provided. The animals were treated 

against external and internal parasites and injected with Oxytetracycline for optimum health 

during the experiment. They were weighed and divided into three groups according to body 

weight and the groups were then allocated at random to the three experimental rations. 

 

2.3. Feeds and Feeding 

Cattle rumen contents were collected from Halfa Elgadida slaughter house and transported 

by car to the animal production farm. The rumen contents were spread on plastic sacks and sun 

dried for one week. It was then stored in plastic sacks.  

Three isonitrogenous and isocaloric rations containing 0, 5 or 10% dried rumen contents 

were used in this experiment. Table 1 shows the ingredients and calculated CP and ME of the 

rations fed to Shugor Desert lambs in Halfa Elgadida. The animals were fed groundnut haulm ad 

lib. and were changed gradually to the experimental rations to avoid digestive disturbances.   

The animals were fed green Barseem ( Medicago sativa) once weekly to maintain normal gut 

functions and a source of vitamins. The animals were fed the experimental rations ad lib. for 15 

days as a preliminary period. They were then fed the experimental rations for 49 days. The 

rations were fed in one meal in the morning at 8 am.   

Clean water was available all time. The animals were weighed before the morning meal at the 

beginning of the experiment and then weekly to the end of the experiment. They were fastened 

for 12 hrs. before weighing to avoid the variations in gut contents. Daily feed intake was 

determined by offering preweighed rations and collecting and weighing the refusals before the 

morning meal in the following day.  

 

2.4. Calculations and Statistical Analysis 

Feed intake was calculated as the difference in weight between offered rations and the 

refusals. Total weight gain was calculated as the difference between initial and final body weights. 



Animal Review, 2015, 2(4): 81-86 

 

 
84 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

Daily weight gain was calculated by dividing the weight gain by the day between them. Feed 

conversion ratio was calculated by dividing the feed intake by total weight gain. 

The data was statistically analyzed according to Snedecor and Cochran [14] using the 

completely randomized design. 

 

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

Table 2 shows the effects of different levels of rumen contents in rations on the performance 

of Shugor lambs. Final BW, daily feed intake, total weight gain and daily weight gain varied 

among different levels of rumen contents in rations, but not significantly (P>0.05). They were 

highest in animals fed 10% rumen contents and least in animals fed no rumen contents.  

Feed conversion ratio varied among different levels of rumen contents in rations, but not 

significantly (P>0.05). It was highest in animals fed no rumen contents in rations and least in 

animals fed 10% rumen contents in rations.The increased Shugor sheep final BW was mainly due 

to increased weight gain associated with increased daily feed intake in this study. The improved 

feed intake with increasing rumen content in rations was mainly due to its palatability.  

This was supported by the evidence that dried rumen contents had no negative effects on 

diets acceptability [13]. Shugor lambs DMI was within the range for lambs fed different levels of 

Mesquite pods in Halfa Elgadeda [1]. Shugor lambs daily DMI was higher than in Desert sheep 

fed Rabaa ash alkali treated sorghum stover supplemented with 300 and 600g concentrates and 

within the range in animals fed 900g in the Gezira State, Sudan [15].Shugor lambs daily weight 

gain was within the range for lambs fed different levels of Mesquite pods in Halfa Elgadida.  

Daily weight gain in Shugor lambs fed rumen contents in rations was higher than in animals 

fed 300 g concentrates and Rabaa ash alkali treated sorghum stover [15]. It was generally within 

the range in animals fed 600 and 900g.The improved Shugor feed conversion ratio with increased 

levels of rumen contents in rations was mainly due to rumen contents high nutritive value [10, 

12]. This boosted feeds nutritive value and exploitation. The improved FCR in Shugor sheep 

with increasing rumen contents in rations was also found when rations with different Mesquite 

levels [1]. 

 

4. CONCLUSION 

The results suggested that 10% rumen contents in rations were adequate for optimum 

Shugor sheep performance in this study. 

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support. 
 

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. 
 

Contributors/Acknowledgement: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study.  

 

 

 

 



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© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

REFERENCES 

[1] A. A. B. Osman and M. E. Elimam, "The effects of different levels of mesquite (Prosopis Chilensis) 

pods on the performance of shugor lambs in Halfa Elgadida, Kassala State, Sudan," Gezira Journal 

of Agricultural Sciences, vol. 10, pp. 95-101, 2012. 

[2] A. M. Yagoub, "Environmental consideration for sustainable development in greater Darfur 

State," MSc. Thesis, Institute of Environmental Studies, University of Khartoum, Khartoum, 

Sudan, 1998. 

[3] A. O. Abusuwar and A. Darrag, Pan Arab integration in forage production and processing. Case study. 

Khartoum, Sudan: Sudan. Arab Organization for Agricultural Development (AOAD), 2002. 

[4] F. M. Elhag, "Effect of chopping and wilting on tropical grass land silage quality in South 

Kordofan, Sudan," African Livestock Research, vol. 2, pp. 11-14, 1992. 

[5] A. M. A. Elhag, "Effects of rangeland protection and forage growth stage on vegetation attributes 

and sheep and goat selection at North Kordofan, Sudan," Sudan Journal of Agricultural Research, vol. 

17, pp. 29-38, 2011. 

[6] A. H. Mohmed, "Evaluation of some range plants for goats in Rahad area, Butana plain, Sudan," 

M.Sc. Thesis, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan, 2001. 

[7] H. M. Asma, "Utilization of upgrading straws of Sorghum, pearl millet and sesame by Nubian goat 

in the Sudan," Ph.D. Thesis, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, 

University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan, 2007. 

[8] M. J. Prokop, J. J. Klopfenstein, and T. Messersmith, "Blood and paunch meal in ruminant rations," 

Journal of Animal Science, vol. 39, pp. 250-250, 1974. 

[9] F. A. El-Yassin, J. P. Fontenot, and H. ChesterJones, "Fermentation characteristics and nutritional 

value of rumenal contents and blood ensiled with untreated or sodium hydroxide- treated wheat 

straw," Journal of Animal Science, vol. 69, pp. 1751-1759, 1991. 

[10] P. J. Van Soest, Nutritional ecology of the ruminant. Ithaca and London: Comstock Publishing 

Associates, A Division of Cornell University Press, 1982. 

[11] MAW, "Ministry of animal Wealth, Sudan," Anuual Report, 2006. 

[12] Feedipedia, "Rumen contents, cattle, fresh." Animal Feed Resources Information System- INRA, 

CIRAD, AFZ and FAO. Available from www.Feedipedia.org, 2012. 

[13] F. G. Rios Rincon, R. M. Bermudez-Hurtado, A. Estrada-Angulo, A. S. Juarez-Reyes, and C. Pujol-

Manriquez, "Dried ruminal contents as a substitute for alfalfa hay in growing-finishing diets for 

feedlot cattle," Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, vol. 9, pp. 1526-1530, 2010. 

[14] G. W. Snedecor and W. G. Cochran, Statistical methods. Ames, Iowa, USA: Iowa State University 

Press, 1980. 

[15] A. S. M. Eltayeb, "Performance and carcass characteristics of desert sheep fed rabaa (Trianthema 

Pentandra L) ash alkali treated sorghum stover and concentrates," M. Sc Thesis, Faculty of 

Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan, 2010. 

 

 

http://www.feedipedia.org,/


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© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

Table-1. The ingredients of rations fed to Shugor desert lambs in Halfa Elgadida, kassala State, Sudan. 

Rations Ingredients 

C (10% rumen 
contents) 

B (5% rumen 
contents) 

A (0% rumen 
contents) 

20 19 19 Groundnut cakes 

34 30 25 Sorghum grains 
25 24 24 Molasses 

5 13 20 Wheat bran 
4 7 10 Groundnut shells 
10 5 0 Rumen contents 
1 1 1 Salt 
1 1 1 Lime stone 
17.36 17.26 17.25 Calculated CP (%) 
11.48 11.47 11.48 Calculated ME (MJ/kg DM)  

 

Table-2. Effects of different levels of rumen contents in rations on the performance of Shugor Desert lambs in Halfa Elgadida, kassala 
State, Sudan. 

Significance SE Rations Parameters 

  C B A  
NS 2.96 26.0 26.5 26.0 Initial BW (kg) 

NS 3.11 31.75 31.25 30.27 Final BW (kg) 
NS 16.0 01.28 01.27 01.20 Daily feed intake (kg/day) 

NS 65.0 05.75 04.63 04.25 Total weight gain (kg) 

NS 1.52 207 165 150 Daily weight gain (g) 
NS 3.77 7.61 7.87 8.81 FCR 

 

A= A ration with 0% dried rumen contents;  B= A ration with 5% dried rumen contents; C= A ration with 10% dried rumen contents; 
FCR= Feed conversion ratio (Kg feed intake/kg weight gain). 
NS= Not significantly different at P≥ 0.05 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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