Correlation between chemical composition and in vitro Dry Matter Digestibility of Leaves of Semi-arid Browses of North-East Nigeria
Abstract
The potential nutritive values of eight browse forages namely: Olea hochstteteri, Ziziphus mauritiana, Ziziphus spinzchristi, Pterocarpus erinceus, Sterculia setigera, Balanites aegyptiaca, Ficus sycomorus and Adansonia digitata of North-east Nigeria were evaluated by chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility. The samples were collected and analyzed in triplicates. There were significant differences among species in terms of chemical composition. A range of 2.00 to 6.00% and 12.00 to 18.00% DM were recorded for EE and Ash values for the eight browses. Their fiber parameters showed a range of 34.40 to 54.80, 16.55 to 33.40, 9.70 to 67.17, g/100g DM for NDF, ADF and ADL, respectively. The values reported for anti-nutritive factors range from 0.12 to 0.41 mg/g MD for TCT and 0.24 to 0.81 mg/g MD for phenolic. Dry samples (leaves) of eight semi-arid browses were used as substrates. Crude protein (CP) in leaf dry matter ranged from 13.23 in Olea hochstteteri to 18.31% DM in balanites aegyptiaca. The IVDMD had the lowest IVDMD (45.00% DM) and lowest CP content (13.23%). The result also reveals a negative correlation of IVDMD with cell wall contents (NDF, ADF and ADL) and a positive correlation with TCT, and a positive correlation between CP and phenolic. The result for methane production shows that Ziziphus spinachisti had the highest methane value (4ml/200mg DM). Based on chemical composition and in vitro dry matter digestibility, the browse species forage have high potential nutritive value, especially as protein supplements to poor quality forage for ruminant animals in the tropics and in terms of rumen and whole tract digestibility.
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