Abstract
Six neotropical woody Mimosoid legume species, in the genera Albizia, Hesperalbizia, Pseudosamanea and Samanea, were evaluated for potential as animal fodder, using a combination of analytical techniques, in vitro digestibility, and assessment of relative palatability to sheep in a preference test in Honduras. Leaf chemical composition was evaluated in terms of content of crude protein, acid detergent fibre, neutral detergent fibre, condensed tannins (acid butanol assay) and total tannins (protein precipitation: radial diffusion assay). Crude protein and digestibility data were combined into an ‘index’ by which the species could be ranked; according to this criterion the most promising species were Pseudosamanea guachapele, Albizia adinocephala and Hesperalbizia occidentalis. In the preference test, however, Pseudosamanea guachapele and Albizia niopoides appeared much more palatable to sheep than any of the other species. A small amount of H. occidentalis was also eaten, but the other species were completely refused throughout the 16 day experiment. H. occidentalis was the fastest-growing species on this site. Using a combination of these evaluation criteria, H. occidentalis and P. guachapele appear to be the species with the greatest potential for fodder use.
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