Authors : E.M. Ngodigha and N.J. Anyanwu
Abstract: Twenty Multi-Purpose Trees and Shrubs (MPTS) were ranked for their fodder potential based on degradation studies with rumen fistulated N’dama steers. Samples of oven-dried, one year re-growth leaf fractions of the 20 MPTS were milled to pass through a 2.5 mm screen in a laboratory mill. The oven-dried samples (5 g each) were put into nylon bags measuring 180x90 mm with a pore size of 41 μm. The bags were incubated in duplicates for 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h in 3 rumen fistulated N’dama steers. The steers, aged about 3 years and weighing approximately 250 kg were grazed on a pasture of Panicum maximum supplemented with wheat bran at the rate of 2 kg/animal/day. At the end of each incubation period, the residues were dried to a constant weight at 60°C for 48 h in a forced air oven to compute Dry Matter (DM) disappearance. Results showed that E. cyclocarpum, S. spectabilis, B. monamdra and A. ferruginea were ranked in the high quality group, with Effective Degradability (ED) values >450 g kg-1 DM; T. superba, L. leucocephala and A. noipoides were ranked in the medium quality group with ED range of 400-450 g kg-1 DM, while P. bicolor, L. sericeus, P. santalinoides, X. xylocarpa and T. tetraptera belonged to the low quality group with ED values <400 g kg-1 DM. The study showed that MPTS with high effective degradability qualitatively can be used to enhance better live weight gains in ruminant animals.
E.M. Ngodigha and N.J. Anyanwu , 2009. Fodder Potential Ranking of Selected Multi-Purpose Trees and Shrubs Through Degradation Studies with Rumen Fistulated N’dama Steers. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 8: 1233-1236.