Selection and evaluation of promising indigenous fodder trees and shrubs as supplemental diets for ruminant animals across different agroecological environments

The aim of this study was to select and evaluate promising potential indigenous fodder trees and shrubs (IFTS) as supplemental feeds for ruminant animals. Through interviews with farmers and field inventories, 107 IFTS species were identified as ruminant feeds, from which 37 potential IFTS species were selected. The chemical composition and anti-nutritional factors of the selected IFTS were analysed. Among the 37 selected IFTS species, crude protein (CP) ranged from 83.3 to 230.5 (mean, 134.3) g kg−1 dry matter (DM); CP was greater than 80 g kg−1 DM in all selected species. Condensed tannin (CT) content varied from 2.57 to 210.91 g kg−1 (p −1 DM, an amount that is tolerable for ruminants. Farmers’ preferences and the nutritive value of the selected fodder species were positively correlated (p 110 g kg−1, neutral detergent fibre (NDF) −1, and CT −1. Thus, the selected potential IFTS need further evaluation for their agronomic practice, biomass production and animal performance.</p