Effect of method of preservation on the chemical composition of Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves

Abstract

Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves are less acceptable by ruminants due to their high contents of anti-nutritional factors. The effect of preserving Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves as hay and silage or silage: hay combinations on the proximate, fibre fractions, anti-nutritional factors, minerals and vitamins compositions were investigated in this study. Six experimental treatments consisting of 100% fresh Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves, 100% ensiled Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves, 100% sun dried Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves, 75% silage: 25% hay, 50% silage: 50% hay and 25% silage: 75% hay were formulated. Each treatment was replicated 3 times and analyzed for chemical composition. The crude protein content ranged from 14.70 – 22.05%, which significantly differed (p<0.05) across treatments with the highest value in the fresh leaves. The values for neutral detergent fibre ranged from 56.64 – 57.92 %, acid detergent fibre from 37.14 – 39.87 % and acid detergent lignin from 13.30 – 14.96 %, they all differed significantly (p<0.05) across treatments with highest values in the 100% ensiled treatment. Preservation as silage significantly (p<0.05) reduced the concentrations of tannin, phytate and hydrocyanic acid, while preservation as hay significantly (p<0.05) reduced the concentration of saponin. The mineral contents of the EC leaves preserved as silage, hay and silage: hay combinations (Treatments 2 - 6) compared favourably with the mineral contents of the fresh leaves (Treatment 1). Preserved EC leaves (Treatments 2 – 6) had significantly (p<0.05) higher concentrations of vitamin C (444.21 –657.60 mg/100g) than the fresh leaves (308.79mg/100g). Thus preservation of E. cyclocarpum leaves as silage or hay improved its chemical composition and reduced its contents of anti-nutritional factors.