Abstract:
Browse species as complete feed for ruminants is uncommon. This may be due to low dry matter (DM)
and high condensed tannins (CT) contents limiting its potential to influence weight gain. Drying however
improves DM content and reduces CT levels and its astringency. The objective of this study was to determine
chemical composition, in vitro parameters and to evaluate the potential benefits of feeding small ruminants
on dried browse leaves and their combinations. The browse species were Albizzia lebbek, Gliricidia sepium,
Moringa oleifera and Millettia thoningii. Rumen fluid was obtained from two fistulated forest type wethers
for the in vitro evaluation. The DM, crude protein (CP), ash, CT, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent
fibre (ADF), cellulose and lignin were 866-916 g/kg, 101-303 g/kg DM, 74.7-200 g/kg DM, 0.9-1.3 g/kg DM,
202-552 g/kg DM, 205-520 g/kg DM, 94-381 g/kg DM and 105-192 g/kg DM respectively. The organic matter
digestibility (OMD), in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), in vitro gas production (IVGP), metabolisable
energy (ME) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) of the four browse species and their combinations recorded
were 314.9-721.6 g/kg DM, 515.4-721 ml/g DM, 139-602 ml/g DM, 314.6-1406.9 ml/g DM and 3.1-14.4
ml/g DM respectively. There were positive associative effects shown by the combined browse leaves between
IVDMD and IVGP. The regression analyses revealed that relationships between IVGP and CP and IVDMD
and CT and all relationships between OMD, SCFA, ME and IVGP were significant (p<0.05). All the browse
species and their combinations had IVDMD values of more than 500 g/kg DM and low gas production. The
high CP and ash contents, low CTs, low to moderate fibre components, moderate to high IVDMD and low
IVGP of the four browse species and their combinations make them potentially valuable as feed resources for
small ruminant production.
