Nutritive value of browses as protein supplement(s) to poor quality roughages

In tropical and subtropical regions, pasture grasses and cereal residues are frequently low in nutrients especially protein and therefore cannot support high levels of ruminant production. Many browse species are endowed with high levels of protein and hence suitable as supplements. The objective of this study was to develop indices that could be used to predict nutritive value of browses as supplements to poor quality roughage basal diets. Experiments were carried out to address issues related to establishing an experimental protocol for screening large browse species in feeding trials, the effect of animal species and the proportion of browse in the diet. Different methods to estimate protein digestion in small intestine were compared and data of individual browses collected. The palatability method developed was suitable for evaluating palatability of large numbers of browses under stall feeding condition. If palatability is done to predict long term intake a period of 5 to 8 days should be allowed. Classification of browses using either chemical composition, degradability or gas production characteristics led to different cluster groups than when palatability was used. Tannins had beneficial attributes at moderate levels and detrimental effect at high levels. The optimum level of browse supplementation was 30 to 45% of the ration dry matter. Browses need to be further studied since some of the secondary chemicals contained may affect reproduction

Effects of Leucaena pallida and Sesbania sesban supplementation on testicular histology of tropical sheep and goats

Thirty Ethiopian highland rams with an average body weight of 23.7 kg (S.D = 1.23) and age of 18 months and 25 East African bucks with an average body weight of 18.6 kg (S.D. = 2.06) and age of 14 months were used to study the long term effects of supplementation with the leaves of Leucaena pallida and Sesbania sesban on testicular histology. Within species, animals were blocked based on body weight and scrotal circumference and randomly assigned, within blocks, to five nutritional treatment groups in a complete randomised block design. All animals were provided with unchopped teff (Eragrostis tef) straw ad libitum and were supplemented with either 150g of wheat bran (control), leucaena (200 or 400 g) or sesbania (200 or 400 g) leaves for a period of 6 months. At the end of the experimental period, all animals were surgically castrated and testicular samples were collected and prepared for histopathological examination. In sheep 200 g S. sesban induced relatively more necrosis of the seminiferous tubules than 200 g L pallida, but with similar degree of tubular degeneration. However, lesions in testis of goats fed on 200 g S. sesban and 200 g L pallida did not differ. The effect of 400 g S. sesban and 400 g L pallida in sheep indicated that the former hardly induced lesions except depressive effect on spermatogenesis. Similar results were observed in goats. About 400 g S. sesban induced milder lesions in sheep and goats than were 200 g S. sesban. The lesions were compared and discussed in relation to the phytochemical composition of the supplementary feeds

Long term effect of browse supplementation on live weight gain and scrotal size in male sheep and goats

This study was conducted to determine the long term effect of supplementation of L. pallida and S. sesban on growth and reproductive performance of male Ethiopian highland sheep and goats fed teff straw (Eragrostis tef) basal diet. The results show that there was no significant effect of the different types of supplements on teff straw intake. However, total intake of dry matter and digestibile organic matter, were significantly affected by the level and the type of supplement

Effect of feeding graded levels of Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena pallida, Sesbania sesban and Chamaecytisus palmensis supplements to teff straw given to Ethiopian highland sheep

The effect of feeding Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena pallida, Sesbania sesban and Chamaecytisus palmensis supplements on intake, digestibility and liveweight changes was evaluated using 102 male Ethiopian highland sheep in a 90-day trial. Teff straw (Eragrostis tef) was fed ad libitum (control diet), or supplemented with 15, 30, 45 or 60 of ration DM intake of L. leucocephala, L. pallida, C. palmensis or S. sesban in a randomized complete block design. There was a decrease (P0.05) in teff straw intake as the level of supplement increased. Substitution rates (g/kg supplement) increased with increasing levels of supplementation. Substitution rate varied from 162 to 528 in L. pallida, 89 to 312 in L. leucocephala, 566 to 231 in S. sesban and 10 to 134 in C. palmensis supplemented diets. DM and digestible organic matter intake increased (P0.05) with increasing L. leucocephala, C. palmensis and S. sesban, but not L. pallida. Liveweight gain increased (P0.01) with increasing level of browse supplementation. Sheep fed the control diet lost weight (24.4 g/day) while the supplemented ones gained weight in the range of 6.5-65.2 g/day. The maximum liveweight gain (65.2 g/day) was observed in sheep fed a diet with 60 L. pallida. The optimum levels of browse supplementation in terms of liveweight gain per g supplement were 45, 45, 30, 30 DM of total ration for L. leucocephala, L. pallida, C. palmensis and S. sesban, respectively. A close relationship between liveweight gain and amount of supplement was observed. The digestibilities of DM, organic matter, N and supplement DM increased (P0.05) with increasing level of supplementation. There were no differences in NDF digestibility. Faecal N, urinary N output and N retention increased (P0.0001) with level of supplementation