Proximate and mineral potentials of <i>Panicum maximum</i> (Jacq.) as a substitute to maize and sorghum in livestock feed

Abstract

There is a continued pressure to source for an alternative feed for livestock in Nigeria. This study was aimed to compare the proximate and mineral compositions of P. maximum seeds with maize and sorghum seeds with a view to finding out if P. maximum seeds could serve as a substitute for maize and sorghum in feeding livestock. The laboratory analyses were conducted at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan. Proximate and mineral contents were determined using AOAC and spectrophotometric methods, respectively. Means were separated using Duncan’s multiple range test at p = 0.05. The results revealed that P. maximum seeds had highest carbohydrate content (86.65 g/100 g ± 1.52) and lowest moisture content (6.78 g/100 g ± 0.75) with appreciable mineral contents compared to maize and sorghum seeds. Although maize and sorghum seeds had higher mineral content than P. maximum seeds, the high carbohydrate content of P. maximum seeds, which provides higher energy to livestock, and low moisture content will be more advantageous to store for a long time. Therefore, this study suggests the use of P. maximum seeds, with the addition of nutrient and protein supplements, as a substitute to maize and sorghum in livestock feed.