Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Rumen degradation in sheep, goats and cattle and voluntary intake by sheep of four browse species

Agroforestry Systems volume 32, pages 277–286 (1995)Cite this article

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted using dried leaves ofAlchornea cordifolia, Ficus capensis, Manniophytum fulvum andAlbizza niopoides. In Experiment 1, dry matter (DM) degradation characteristics were investigated using thein sacco nylon bag technique in West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep, WAD goats and Bunaji steers. In Experiment 2, voluntary intake of the browse forage when fed as supplements to sheep at 0, 10 and 30% levels was measured. In Experiment 1,A. cordifolia andM. fulvum had significantly higher rapidly degradable DM fraction thanA. niopoides andF. capensis. Averaged across browse species, the extent of DM degradation for sheep (58.3%) was significantly higher than for goat (47.7%) or cattle (44.1%). Ranking order of browse species for the extent of DM degradation was:F. capensis>A. cordifolia=M. fulvum=A. niopoides. In Experiment 2, as the level of supplementation increased from 10 to 30%, voluntary intake ofA. niopoides andM. fulvum increased while voluntary intake ofA. cordifolia andF. capensis declined. The results suggest that dried leaves ofA. niopoides andM. fulvum are more acceptable to WAD sheep than those ofA. cordifolia andF. capensis.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

39,95 €

Price includes VAT (Finland)

References

  • Ahn JH, Robertson BM, Elliott R, Gutteridge RC and Ford CW (1989) Quality assessment of tropical browse legumes: tannin content and protein degradation. Anim Feed Sci Techn 27: 147–156

    Google Scholar 

  • Asare EO, Shehu Y and Agishi EA (1982) Preliminary studies on indigenous species for dry season grazing in the Northern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria. Trop Grassl 18: 148–152

    Google Scholar 

  • Bayer W (1990) Use of browse by Fulani cattle in Central Nigeria. Agrofor Syst 12: 217–228

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown LE and Johnson WL (1984) Comparative intake and digestibility of browses and byproducts by goats and sheep: a review. Inter Sheep Goat Res 2: 212–221

    Google Scholar 

  • Cobbina J, Atta-Krah AN, Meregini AO and Duguma B (1990) Productivity of some browse plants on acid soils of southeastern Nigeria. Trop Grassl 24: 41–45

    Google Scholar 

  • Devendra C (1981) The utilization of forage from casava, pigeon pea, leucaena and groundnut by goats and sheep in Malaysia. In: Morand-Fehr IP, Bourbouze A and de Simiane M (eds) International Symposium on Nutrition and Systems of Goat Feeding, Vol I, pp 338–343. Tours, France

  • Kamatali P, Teller E, Vangelle M, Collignon G and Foulon M (1992) In situ degradability of organic matter, crude protein and cell wall of various tree forages. Anim Prod 55: 29–34

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kibon A and Orskov ER (1993) The use of degradation characteristics of browse plants to predict intake and digestibility of goats. Anim Prod 57: 247–251

    Google Scholar 

  • Krueger WC, Laycock WA and Price DA (1974) Relationship of taste, smell, sight, and touch to forage selection. J Range Mange 27: 258–262

    Google Scholar 

  • Lambert MG, Jung GA, Fletcher RH, Budding PJ and Costal DA (1989) Forage shrubs in North Island hill country 2. Sheep and goat preferences. NZJ Agric Res 32: 485–490

    Google Scholar 

  • Larbi A, Jabbar MA, Orok NB, Idiong B and Cobbina J (1993a)Alchornea cordifolia, a promising indigenous browse species adapted to acid soils in southeastern Nigeria for integrated crop-livestock agroforestry production system. Agrofor Syst 22: 33–41

    Google Scholar 

  • Larbi A, Thomas D and Hanson J (1993b) Forage potential ofErythrina abyssinica: intake, digestibility and growth rates for stall-fed sheep and goats in Southern Ethiopia. Agrofor Syst 21: 263–276

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Le Houérou HN (1980) Chemical composition and nutritive value of browse in tropical west Africa. In: Le Houérou HN (ed) Browse in Africa, the Current State of Knowledge pp 261–297, ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Google Scholar 

  • Mechal I and Adegbola TA (1980) Chemical composition of some southern Nigeria forage eaten by goats. In: LeHouérou HN (ed) Browse in Africa, the Current State of Knowledge, pp 303–306. ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

    Google Scholar 

  • Migongo-Bake W (1992) Rumen dry matter digestive eficiency of camel, cattle, sheep and goats in a semi-arid environment in eastern Africa. In: Stares JES Said AN and Kategile JA (eds) The Complementality of Feed Resources for Animal Production, in Africa. ILCA, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia pp 27–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Onwuka CFI (1992) Tannin and saponin contents of some tropical browse species fed to goats. Trop Agric 69: 176–180

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Orok EJ and Duguma B (1987) Sheep and goat production in humid Cross River State of Nigeria. In: Reynolds L and Atta-Krah AN (eds), Browse Use and Small Ruminant Production in Southeast Nigeria, pp 2–12. ILCA Humid Zone Programme, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Google Scholar 

  • Orskov ER, and McDonald I (1979) The estimation of protein degradability in the rumen from incubation measurements weighted according to rate of passage. J Agric Sci Camb 92: 499–503

    Google Scholar 

  • Siaw DEK, Osuji PO and Nsahlai (1993) Evaluation of multipurpose tree germplasm: the use of gas production and rumen degradation characteristics. J Agric Sci Camb 120: 319–330

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh NP and Bhatia DR (1982) Utilization ofProsopis cineraria by sheep and goats. In: Proceedings of 3rd International Conference on Goat Production and Disease, Tuscon, Arizona, (USA), January (1982), p. 180. University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

    Google Scholar 

  • Tolkamp BJ and Brouwer BO (1993) Statistical review of digestion in goats compared with other ruminants. Small Rum Res 11: 107–124

    Google Scholar 

  • Topps JH (1992) Potential, composition and use of legume shrubs and trees as fodders for livestock in the tropics. J Agric Sci Camb 118: 1–8

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • van Eys E, Mathius IW, Pongsapan P and Johnson L (1986) Foliage of the tree legumesGliricidia, Leucaena, andSesbania as supplement to napier grass diets for growing goats. J Agric Sci Camb 107: 227–233

    Google Scholar 

  • Wilson DA (1977) The digestibility and voluntary intake of leaves of trees and shrubs by sheep and goats. Aust J Agric Res 28: 501–508

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wood A and Reed JA (1989) The influence of polyphenolics on the nutritive value of browse: a summary of research conducted at ILCA. ILCA Bulletin 35: 2–11

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Humid/Subhumid Programme, International Livestock Research Institute, Ibadan, Nigeria

    J. W. Smith, A. Larbi, M. A. Jabbar & J. Akinlade

Authors
  1. J. W. Smith
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. A. Larbi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. M. A. Jabbar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. J. Akinlade
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Smith, J.W., Larbi, A., Jabbar, M.A. et al. Rumen degradation in sheep, goats and cattle and voluntary intake by sheep of four browse species. Agroforest Syst 32, 277–286 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00711715

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00711715

Key words

  • dry matter degradation
  • Indigenous browse species
  • fodder quality
  • West African dwarf goats
  • West African dwarf sheep

Search

Navigation