| Summary: | Green roughages are the primary ruminant livestock feeds across a wide range of African farming systems; therefore, the nutritional profiling of some of these feeds is necessary as a first step to diversifying the ruminant feed basket. For this purpose, this study sought to evaluate the nutritive value of the leaves of Oxytenanthera abyssinica (OA), Bambusa balcooa (BB), Moringa oleifera (MO), Terminalia catappa (TC), Blighia sapida (BS) and Mangifera indica (MI) using three analytical methods; proximate analysis, detergent analysis and in vitro gas production. Other nutritional characteristics were estimated using their chemical compositions and in vitro gas production. The results showed that the leaves of MO recorded the highest (p < 0.05) levels of crude protein, CP (310 g/kgDM), relative feed value, RFV (177), and in vitro gas production, IVGP (23.5 mL). The leaves of BB showed high (p < 0.05) contents of dry matter, DM (916 g/kg) and crude fibre, CF (281 g/kgDM) while OA gave the highest (p < 0.05) digestible dry matter, DDM (87.3%). There was a strong (p < 0.05) correlation between the chemical constituents of the leaves and their nutritive value. ADL perfectly correlated with DDM (r = −1.00, p < 0.001). CP correlated slongly with 96 h IVGP (r = 0.92, p < 0.001) while NFE correlated moderately with 96 h IVGP (r = −0.69, p < 0.001). In conclusion, all the leaves showed good nutritional value, making them suitable sources of nourishment for ruminant feeding. However, to corroborate these findings, phytochemicals (bioactive compounds) screening and in vivo nutritional testing of these leaves must be conducted.
|
|---|