Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-2brh9 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-22T21:42:42.174Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The degradability by sheep of fruits of Acacias and leaves of Sesbania sesban and the effects of supplementation with mixtures of browses and oilseed cake on the utilization of teff (Eragrostis tef) straw

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

I. V. Nsahlai
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
P. O. Osuji
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
N. N. Umunna
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Get access

Abstract

This study was aimed at evaluating (1) the dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) degradabilities (by sheep) of Sesbania sesban leaves, Acacia albida (Faidhabia albida), A. siberiana and A. tortiris frazfs and (2) the effect of feeding a mixture of oilseed cake and tanniferous browses on the degradability of teff (Eragrostis tef) straw and oilseed cake and on particulate and liquid passage rates. Thirteen rumen cannulated sheep in a randomized complete-block design experiment were given teff straw ad libitum supplemented (DM per day) with 155 g oilseed cake (50: 50 mixture of noug (Guizotia abyssinica) and groundnut cake; oilseed cake diet) or with 92 g oilseed cake plus either 118 g S. sesban (sesbania diet) or 179 g A. albida fruits (albida diet). Diets were formulated to supply 10·5 g supplementary N per day.

Sesbania had the highest DM washing loss, potential degradability and fastest DM degradation rate compared with the acacias. The N washing loss (g/kg) was highest for A. siberiana (500) followed by A. albida (431), A. tortilis (431) and sesbania (241). The potential N degradability (g/kg) was greater (P < 0·05) for sesbania (978) than for A. albida (848), A. tortilis (865) or A. siberiana (785). The degradation rates of oilseed cake-N and teff straw-DM, particulate and liquid passage rates, basal intake and DM digestibilities were similar among diets, but organic matter intake was highest for the albida diet. At the present levels of offer, supplementation with mixtures of oilseed cake and browses does not significantly reduce rumen degradation rates of oilseed cake-N or teff straw DM.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1995

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Akin, D. E., Rigsby, L. L., Theodorou, M. K. and Hartley, R. D. 1988. Population changes of fibrolytic rumen bacteria in the presence of phenolic acids and plant extracts. Animal Feed Science Technology 19: 261275.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1980. Official methods of analysis. 13th ed. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, DC.Google Scholar
Barry, T. N. 1989. Condensed tannins: their role in ruminant protein and carbohydrate digestion and possible effects upon the rumen ecosystem. In The roles of protozoa and fungi in ruminant digestion (ed. Nolan, J. V., Leng, R. A. and Demeyer, D. I.), pp. 153169. Penambul Books, Armidale, NSW.Google Scholar
Barry, T. N., Manley, T. R. and Duncan, S. T. 1986. The role of condensed tannins in the nutritional value of Lotus pedunculatus for sheep. 4. Site of carbohydrate and protein digestion as influenced by dietary reactive tannin concentrations. British Journal of Nutrition 55: 123137.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonsi, M. L. K., Osuji, P. O., Nsahlai, I. V. and Tuah, A. K. 1994. Graded levels of Sesbania sesban and Leucaena leucocephala as supplements to teff straw given to Ethiopian Menz sheep. Animal Production 59: 235244.Google Scholar
Butler, G. W. and Bailey, R. W. 1973. Chemistry and biochemistry of herbage, vol. 1, pp. 294295. Academic Press, London.Google Scholar
Dhanoa, M. S. 1988. On the analysis of dacron bag data for low degradability feeds. Grass and Forage Science 43: 441444.Google Scholar
D'Mello, J. P. F. 1992. Chemical constraints to the use of tropical legumes in animal nutrition. Animal Feed Science and Technology 38: 237261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ebong, C. 1989. The nutritional effects of tanning and related polyphenols in bird resistant and non bird resistant sorghum varieties and in legume browses. Ph.D. thesis, University of Aberdeen.Google Scholar
Goering, H. K. and Van Soest, P. J. 1970. Forage fibre analyses (apparatus, reagents, procedures and some applications). Agricultural handbook, United States Department of Agriculture, no. 379.Google Scholar
McDonald, I. M. 1981. A revised model for the estimation of protein degradability in rumen. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 96: 251252.Google Scholar
Makkar, H. P. S. and Singh, B. 1991. Distribution of condensed tannins (proanthocyanidins) in various fibre fractions in young and mature leaves of some oak species. Animal Feed Science Technology 32: 253260.Google Scholar
Mehrez, N. P. and Ørskov, E. R. 1977. A study of the artificial fibre bag technique for determining the digestibility of feeds in the rumen. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 88: 645650.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nsahlai, I. V., Siaw, D. E. K. A. and Osuji, P. O. 1994. The relationships between gas production and chemical composition of 23 browses of the genus Sesbania. Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture 65: 1320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reed, J. D., Horvath, P. J., Allen, M. S. and Van Soest, P. J. 1985. Gravimetric determination of soluble phenolics including tannins from leaves by precipitation with trivalent ytterbium. Journal of the Science of Food Agriculture 36: 255261.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reed, J. D., McDowell, R. E., Van Soest, P. J. and Horvath, P. J. 1982. Condensed tannins: a factor limiting the use of cassava forage. Journal of the Science of Food Agriculture 33: 213220.Google Scholar
Reed, J. D., Soller, H. and Woodward, A. 1990. Fodder tree and stover diets for sheep: intake, growth, digestibility and the effects of phenolics on nitrogen utilization. Animal Feed Science Technolgoy 30: 3950.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis System Institute. 1987. Procedures guide for personal computers, version 6 ed. Statistical Analysis Systems Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Tanner, J. C., Reed, J. D. and Owen, E. 1990. The nutritive value of fruits (pods with seeds) from four Acacia spp. compared with extracted noug (Guizotia abyssinica) meal as supplements to maize stover for Ethiopian Highland sheep. Animal Production 51: 127133.Google Scholar
Umunna, N. N., Osuji, P. O., Nsahlai, I. V., Khalili, H. and Saleem, M. A. 1995. The effect of supplementing oats hay with either lablab, sesbania, tagasaste or wheat middlings on the voluntary intake, nitrogen utilization and liveweight gain of Ethiopian Menz sheep. Small Ruminant Research. In press.Google Scholar
Wiegand, R. O. 1991. Tree leaves in the diets of small ruminants. M. Sc. thesis, University of Wisconsin, Madison, USA.Google Scholar
Woodward, A. and Reed, J. D. 1989. The influence of polyphenolics on the nutritive value of browses. A summary of research conducted at ILCA. International Livestock Centre for Africa, bulletin no. 35, pp. 211.Google Scholar