Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of pre-feeding forage treatments, harvesting stage, and animal type on preference of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis)

  • Published:
Agroforestry Systems Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis), a multipurpose fodder tree, is highly productive in the tropical highlands. The forage has high crude protein (CP) concentrations but is reported to have low intake by ruminants. This study investigated the effects of plant harvest stage and feeding management (wilted, dried and fresh) on levels of tannins in tagasaste and on preference and intake by Menz sheep and cattle fed during the dry season. The treatments were (1) fresh tagasaste, (2) wilted tagasaste, (3) dried tagasaste and (4) native hay. There were three preference experiments using sheep (20.2 ± 0.66 kg) to investigate intake under ad libitum or restricted offering of the forages, and to assess effect of harvest age (6- or 10-month regrowth age) on ad libitum intake. In two further experiments ad libitum offerings of the forages were evaluated using young steers (131.2 ± 19.6 kg) and heifers (156.3 ± 5.4 kg). The CP (201 g/kg), hydrolysable tannin (150.2 g/kg) and condensed tannin (8.97abs measured as absorbance at 550 nm wavelength/g NDF) contents of tagasaste forage were not affected by the physical treatments and harvesting stage. When fed ad libitum, sheep preferred (P < 0.01) fresh forage to wilted or dry tagasaste (24.5 vs. 22.9 and 7.9 g dry matter (DM)/kg metabolic body weight (MBW). The restricted offering increased intake of the less preferred dried form. Regrowth age (6 vs. 10 months) did not affect sheep preference. Unlike sheep, steers and heifers preferred (P < 0.01) dried tagasaste rather than the fresh or wilted forage. Animal preference and intake were affected by the preparation method of the forage, but not by regrowth age. Methods to improve intake (for cattle), effects of long-term feeding and evaluation on the subsequent effect of anti-nutritional compounds during digestion and animal performance should be further investigated.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Agegnehu G, Gizaw A, Sinebo W (2006) Crop productivity and land use efficiency of a teff/faba bean mixed cropping system in a tropical highland environment. Expl Agric 42:495–504

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • AOAC (1990) Association of official analytical chemists, official methods of analysis, 15th edn. AOAC International, Arlington

    Google Scholar 

  • Assefa G (1998) Biomass yield, botanical fractions and quality of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) as affected by harvesting interval in the highlands of Ethiopia. Agrofor Sys 42:13–23

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Assefa G, Kijora C, Peters KJ (2005) Tagasaste: a legume tree to improve ruminant feeding in the tropics. In: Proceedings of the German society of animal production. der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Züchtungskunde e.V. (DGFZ), Züchtungskunde, p B33

  • Assefa G, Kijora C, Kehaliew A, Bediye S, Peters KJ (2008) Evaluation of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) forage as a substitute for concentrate in diets of sheep. Livest Sci 114:296–304

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Becholie D, Tamir B, Terrill TH, Singh BP, Kassa H (2005) Suitability of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis L.) as a source of protein supplement to a tropical grass hay fed to lambs. Small Rumin Res 56:55–64

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Borens FMP, Poppi DP (1990) The nutritive value for ruminants of Tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis), a leguminous tree. Anim Feed Sci Technol 28:275–292

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Buxton DR (1996) Quality-related characteristics of forages as influenced by plant environment and agronomic factors. Anim Feed Sci Technol 59:37–49

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornell University (2001) Poisonous plants informational data base: phenolic toxicants. Cornell University, Ithaca. http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxicagents/tannin/tannin.html

  • Edwards NJ (2000) A review of tannins and other secondary metabolites in the fodder shrub tagasaste (Chamaecytisus proliferous). In: Proceedings of an international workshop. ACIAR proceeding no. 92, Adelaide, pp 160–164

  • El hassan SM, Lahlou-Kassi A, Newbol CJ, Wallace RJ (2000) Chemical composition and degradation characteristics of foliage of some African multipurpose trees. Anim Feed Sci Technol 86:27–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Forbes JM (2003) The multifunctional nature of food intake control. J Anim Sci 81:E139–E144

    Google Scholar 

  • Getachew G, Makkar HPS, Becker K (2002) Tropical browses: contents of phenolic compounds, in vitro gas production and stoichiometric relationship between short chain fatty acid and in vitro gas production. J Agric Sci 139:341–352

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Rodríguez AM, Martín-Olivera A, Morales D, Jiménez MS (2005) Physiological responses of tagasaste to a progressive drought in its native environment on the Canary islands. Environ Exp Bot 53:195–204

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Horvath PJ (1981) The nutritional and ecological significance of acer-tannins and related polyphenols. M.S. Thesis. Cornell University, Ithaca

  • Hyder PW, Fredrickson EL, Estell RE, Tellez M, Gibbens RP (2002) Distribution and concentration of total phenolics, condensed tannins, and nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA) in creosotebush (Larrea tridentate). Biochem Syst Ecol 30:905–912

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaitho RJ, Umunna NN, Nsahlai IV, Tamminga S, van-Bruchem J, Hanson J (1997) Palatability of wilted and dried multipurpose tree species fed to sheep and goats. Anim Feed Sci Technol 65:151–163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Makkar HPS (2003) Effects and fate of tannins in ruminant animals, adaptation to tannins, and strategies to overcome detrimental effects of feeding tannin-rich feeds. Small Rumin Res 49:241–256

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mali S, Borges RM (2003) Phenolics, fibre, alkaloids, saponins, and cyanogenic glycosides in a seasonal cloud forest in India. Biochem Syst Ecol 31:1221–1246

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Naumann C, Bassler R (1997) Die Chemische Untersuchung von Futtermitteln. Methodenbuch, Band III (The chemical analysis of feeds. Book of methods vol. 3) 3. Ergänzungen, 1993, VDLUFA, Verlag, Darmstadt

  • Norton BW (2000) The significance of tannins in tropical animal production. In: Proceedings of an international workshop. ACIAR proceeding No. 92, Adelaide, pp 14–23

  • Omokanye AT, Balogun RO, Onifade OS, Afolayan RA, Olayemi ME (2001) Assessment of preference and intake of browse species by Yankasa sheep at Shika, Nigeria. Small Rumin Res 42:201–208

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Priston TR (1995) Tropical animal feeding: a manual for research workers, FAO animal production and health paper 126. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Provenza FD, Villalba JJ, Dziba LE, Atwood SB, Banner RE (2003) Linking herbivore experience, varied diets and plant biochemical diversity. Small Rumin Res 49:257–274

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Reed JD (1995) Nutritional toxicology of tannins and related polyphenols in forage legumes. J Anim Sci 73:1516–1528

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Reed JD, Horvath PJ, Allen MS, Van Soest PJ (1985) Gravimetric determination of soluble phenolics including tannins from leaves by precipitation with trivalent ytterbium. J Sci Food Agric 36:255–261

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Salminen Juha-Pekka, Ossipov V, Haukioja E, Pihlaja K (2001) Seasonal variation in the content of HT in leaves of Betula pubescens. Phytochemistry 57:15–22

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sanon HO, Kaboré-Zoungrana C, Ledin I (2007) Behaviour of goats, sheep and cattle and their selection of browse species on natural pasture in a Sahelian area. Small Rumin Res 67:64–74

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • SAS (Statistical Analytical System) (2001) Users guide ver. 8.02. SAS Institute Inc., Cary

    Google Scholar 

  • Sereme A, Kouda-Bonafos M, Nacro M (1993) Phenolic compounds in Sorghum caudatum tissues during plant development. Biomass Bioenergy 4:69–71

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tilley JMA, Terry RA (1963) A two stage technique for the in vitro digestion of forage crops. J Br Grassl Soc 18:104–111

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Umunna NN, Nsahlai IV, Osuji PO (1995) Degradability of forage protein supplements and their effects on the kinetics of digestion and passage. Small Rumin Res 17:145–152

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Soest PJ (1994) Nutritional ecology of ruminants, 2nd edn. Cornell University Press, Ithaca

    Google Scholar 

  • Varvikko T, Khalili H (1993) Wilted tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis) forage a replacement for a concentrate supplement for lactating crossbred Friesian × Zebu (Boran) dairy cows fed low quality native hay. Anim Feed Sci Technol 40:239–250

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ventura MR, Castanon JIR, Muzquiz M, Mendez P, Flores MP (2000) Influence of alkaloid content on intake of subspecies of Chamaecytisus proliferus. Anim Feed Sci Technol 85:279–282

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wiley T (2000) The feed value of the perennial fodder shrub tagasaste, farmnote No. 50. Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

Download references

Acknowledgments

The first author would like to acknowledge the Katholischer Akademischer Ausländer-Dienst (KAAD) for the PhD scholarship award, the Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, at Holetta Research Centre for financing the experiment, the Humboldt University of Berlin, Department of Animal Sciences and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) for the laboratory analysis of feeds.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Holetta Research Centre, P.O. Box 2003, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Getnet Assefa & Aemiro Kehaliew

  2. Institute of Animal Sciences, Humboldt University of Berlin, Phillipstr. 13, Haus 9, 10115, Berlin, Germany

    Getnet Assefa, C. Kijora & K. J. Peters

  3. International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), P.O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    K. Sonder

Authors
  1. Getnet Assefa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. Kijora
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Aemiro Kehaliew
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. K. Sonder
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. K. J. Peters
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Getnet Assefa.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Assefa, G., Kijora, C., Kehaliew, A. et al. Effect of pre-feeding forage treatments, harvesting stage, and animal type on preference of tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis). Agroforest Syst 84, 25–34 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-011-9420-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10457-011-9420-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation