Estimation of true intestinal digestibility of dry matter, nitrogen and amino acids of cowpea and silverleaf desmodium forage legumes and Brachystegia spiciformis (musasa) browse legume

True intestinal digestibility of dry matter (DM), rumen-undegraded dietary protein (UDP) and amino acids of cowpea, silverleaf desmodium and Brachystegia spiciformis (musasa) were estimated. The true intestinal digestibility was calculated as the difference between the content of a bag that was preincubated in the rumen for 12, 24 and 48 h and was recovered in the faeces. Significantly higher DM and nitrogen disappearance rate in the rumen, postruminally and throughout the whole tract were found for cowpea than for silverleaf desmodium and musasa. Total amino acids or true nitrogen digestibility values of silverleaf desmodium and musasa tended to be higher than in cowpea.  The true digestibilities for the individual amino acids in the different undegraded protein sources showed significant differences. The true  intestinal digestibility of DM, nitrogen and amino acids in the mobile bags after 24 h and 48 h of preincubation in the rumen were higher for  silverleaf desmodium and musasa, than in cowpea. Musasa and silverleaf desmodium provided little rumen-degradable nitrogen and supplied UDP to the intestines. The UDP supplied postruminally would  be used for productive processes such as milk production and growth.African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2009, 26(2): 51–5

Milk production by Saanen does given forage and a tree browse legume as supplements to the conventional dairy concentrate and a basal diet of Katambora Rhodes (Chloris gayana) grass hay.

No Abstract

Degradability and flow rate studies in sheep fed a basal diet of Katambora Rhodes grass hay (Chloris gayana), supplemented with Silverleaf desmodium (Desmodium uncinatum)

International audienc

The differential effects of supplementation with fodder from different tree legumes on feed intake and digestibility of nutrients in sheep fed on maize stover

International audienc

Condensed tannins and saponin content in different plant parts of Stylosanthes scabra (Fitzroy) plants harvested from agro-ecologically different sites in Zimbabwe

The objective of this study was to determine the proanthocyanidin (PA; condensed tannin) and saponin contents of different parts of Stylosanthes scabra (Fitzroy) plants harvested from five agro-ecologically different sites in Zimbabwe. Condensed tannins and saponin content of S. scabra leaves and twigs were determined by the n-butanol HCl method and haemolysis test, respectively. Mimosa tannins were used as the stable reference standard for the condensed tannin analysis, although it is accepted that this has some failings. There were significant differences (p < 0.05) between species in the contents of extractable(soluble) and unextractable, both protein and neutral detergent fibre (NDF)-bound tannins. In all the samples, the concentration of bound tannins (protein and NDF bound) was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of the extractable tannins. Most of the bound tannins were bound to proteins. Total proanthocyanidin (sum of extractable and total residue tannins) concentration in the leaf and twig samples harvested at pre-anthesis, anthesis and post-anthesis stages of growth of Fitzroy was higher (p < 0.01) in the leaves than in the twigs. Condensed tannin contents were higher (p < 0.01) in S. scabra samples harvested at Chivhu than in those from Henderson Research Station and Mhondoro, which receive higher rainfall than at Chivhu. This study showed that the agro-ecological site and plant part affects proanthocyanidin concentrations in S. scabra.African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2007, 24(3): 149–15