Effect of Coat Colour on Water Intake and Feed Utilization of Intensively Reared West African Dwarf Sheep in the Humid Tropics

Abstract

The effect of coat colour variation on water intake and feed utilization needs to be fully investigated, determined and exploited to help West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep breeders in genetic improvement programmes. This study examined the effect of coat colour on water intake and feed utilization of intensively reared WAD sheep in the humid tropics. Sixty (60) WAD sheep of different coat colours were used for the experiment which lasted for 6 months. Prominent coat colour types in the region are black, brown and badgerface.  Animals were grouped into sexes. Daily free water intake (DFWI), DFWI/metabolic weight, daily total water intake (DTWI), DTWI/metabolic weight, daily feed intake (DFI), DFI/metabolic weight, DFWI/DFI, daily weight gain (DWG) and feed efficiency (FE) were measured. Analysis of data revealed that coat colour and sex had significant (P<0.05) effect on parameters measured except DTWI and DTWI/metabolic weight. Brown sheep had the highest value for the parameters measured except DFWI/DFI and FE. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference in DWG of black sheep (96.64±3.42 g) and brown sheep (95.24±2.77 g). Best feed efficiency (0.17±0.01) was observed in black sheep. Rams had the highest value for the parameters measured except DFWI/DFI and FE. Based on our results, we concluded that brown WAD sheep and rams consumed more feed and water, while black sheep consumed less feed and they are better feed utilizers.

Keywords: Colour variant, feed intake, qualitative trait, sex, sheep, water consumption