Effect of intake of diets containing tannins and saponins on in vitro gas production and sheep performance

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the intake of leucaena, Enterolobium cyclocarpum, fruits and a mixture of both feeds on in vitro gas production and in vivo sheep productive performance. The experiment was conducted at the University of Yucatan, Mexico. Twenty-four Pelibuey sheep, 20.28 ± 2.99 kg average liveweight (LW), were used. Animals were randomly assigned to the following experimental treatments: T1: 100% Pennisetum purpureum, T2: 30% Leucaena leucocephala foliage + 70% P. purpureum, T3: 30% E. cyclocarpum fruits + 70% P. purpureum, T4: 30% L. leucocephala foliage + 30% E. cyclocarpum fruits + 40% P. purpureum. Voluntary intake was higher in T4 (grass + leucaena + E. cyclocarpum) (P = 0.0001). Higher LW gain was observed in animals fed with T4 (P = 0.0001) and the lowest LW gains were recorded with grass (T1) and grass + leucaena (T2) (78.9 and 99.2 g/day, respectively). Similarly, the feed conversion efficiency was improved with treatment T4 (P = 0.0030). The in vitro gas production (48 h) was lower by 30 mL/0.5 g fermented DM in T4 compared with the other treatments (P = 0.0001). Apparent DM digestibility was higher in T3 and T4 (P = 0.0005). The protozoa counts were lower in T2, T3 and T4 (P = 0.0001). Higher intake, digestibility and sheep performance with diets containing grass + leucaena + E. cyclocarpum mixture arise from an improved nutritional diet as these sources have higher protein, lower cell walls and higher DM digestibility.