Browse Supplements Research Articles

Nutritional evaluation of Senegalia greggii and Prosopis juliflora as browse supplements for sheep

This study was conducted to evaluate the influence of leaves of two shrubs on digestion and nitrogen retention by sheep. Twelve rumen-fistulated castrated male sheep (Pelibuey x Rambouillet) of 42.2±1.3 kg live weight were randomly assigned to three diets (four sheep/diet): diet 1 containing 77% of Cynodon plectostachyus straw and 23% Medicago sativa hay, diet 2 containing 70.7% C. plectostachyus straw and 26.3% Senegalia greggii leaves, and diet 3 containing 76.3% C. plectostachyus straw and 14.3% Prosopis juliflora leaves. Medicago sativa hay was used as control feed of good nutritional quality. The intakes of dry matter and the fiber components of sheep were not significantly different between sheep fed the diets containing the M. sativa hay or S. greggii leaves, but both were significantly higher than sheep fed the P. juliflora leaves. The in vivo digestibility coefficients of dry matter and the fiber components were not different (P>0.05) between sheep fed the all diets; however, the digestibility of CP was higher (P less than 0.05) for sheep fed the M. sativa diet compared with sheep on other diets. The N intake was similar (P>0.05) between sheep fed diets containing M. sativa hay or S. greggii leaves, but both were higher than sheep containing P. juliflora leaves. A similar pattern as N intake was registered in fecal and urine N excretions. The N balance was higher (P less than 0.05) and positive in sheep fed the M. sativa hay diet followed by S. greggii and sheep on P. juliflora were lowest and negative. Senegalia greggii leaves may have potential as an economical supplementary feed for sheep fed diets based on roughages.

Effects of Acacia nilotica, A. polyacantha and Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal supplementation on performance of Small East African goats fed native pasture hay basal forages

Optimal utilisation of tannin-rich browse tree fodders including Acacia spp. foliages as crude protein (CP) supplements to ruminants in the tropics is limited by less available information on their feed nutritive potential. Two studies were conducted to: (1) determine rate and extent of ruminal dry matter (DM) degradability (DMD) and (2) investigate effect of sun-dried Acacia nilotica (NLM), A. polyacantha (PLM) and Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM) supplementation on growth performance of 20 growing (7–9 months old) Small East African male goats (14.6 ± 0.68 kg) fed on native pasture hay (NPH) basal diet for 84 days in a completely randomised design experiment in north-western Tanzania. The goats were randomised into four treatment groups consisting of five animals each. Three supplement diets: 115.3 g NLM (T 2), 125.9 g PLM (T 3) and 124.1 g LLM (T 4), which was used as a positive control, were supplemented at 20% of the expected DM intake (DMI; i.e., 3% body weight) to the three animal groups fed on NPH (basal diet) compared to the animals in a control group that were fed on NPH without browse supplementation (T 1). NPH had significantly the lowest ( P < 0.05) CP of 45.5 g kg −1 DM compared to NLM, PLM and LLM (159, 195 and 187 g kg −1 DM, respectively). NPH had higher ( P < 0.05) fibre fractions; lower ruminal DM degradability characteristics and ME than NLM, PLM and LLM. Supplementation of the animals with browse resulted to ( P < 0.05) higher average daily weight gains (ADG) of 157.1 g day −1 in T 4 than the animals fed on T 2 (114.3 g day −1) and T 3 (42.9 g day −1), and even to those fed on T 1 (control), which lost weight (−71.4 g day −1). Improved weight gains were mainly due to corrected feed nitrogen (N) or CP due to supplementation of the animals with browse fodder. Too low CP of the NPH would not meet the normal requirements of CP (80 g CP kg −1 DM) for optimal rumen microbial function in ruminants. Higher ADG due to LLM (T 4) and NLM (T 2) supplementation suggest optimised weight gains due to browse supplementation (20% of expected DMI); while lower weight gains from supplementation with PLM (T 3) indicate the possible utilisation of A. polyacantha leaves to overcome weight losses especially during dry seasons.

Comparison of Indigenous Browses and Sunflower Seed Cake Supplementation on Intake and Growth Performance of Dual-purpose Goats Fed Buffel Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) Hay

A study to compare the effects of supplementing Delonix elata, Grewia similis, Tamarindus indica and sunflower seed cake on intake and growth rate of dual-purpose goats fed low quality Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) hay was carried out. Twenty-eight male goats aged five to seven months (mean weight 12.93±3.94 kg) were randomly allocated to four dietary groups in a completely randomised design. The diets were hay plus Grewia similis, hay plus Delonix elata, hay plus Tamarindus indica and hay plus sunflower seed cake. All diets were supplemented with maize bran. The experimental period was 90 days. Voluntary dry matter intake of the supplements was higher for Tamarindus indica (275.5 g/day) and Grewia similis (201.8 g/day) and lowest for sunflower seed cake (81 g/day). Goats supplemented with Grewia similis had the highest hay intake (183.8 g/day) while those supplemented with sunflower seed cake had the lowest hay intake (98.9 g/day). Animals fed browse supplements gained significantly more weight (p<0.001) than those with sunflower seed cake. There were no significant differences in live weight change between goats fed the different browses. However, those fed Tamarindus indica gained an average of 20.79 g/d which was slightly higher than the gains for those on Grewia similis and Delonix elata while those fed sunflower seed cake lost weight. Correspondingly, goats supplemented with browse leaf meals had higher feed conversion ratios than those supplemented with sunflower seed cake and required 23.91 to 35.06 g DM of feed to produce one g of weight gain per day. In a separate study, the DM disappearance pattern indicated that Grewia similis and Delonix elata were highly degradable compared to Tamarindus indica. At 24 h of incubation, DM degradability was 627, 588 and 345 g/kg DM for Grewia similis, Delonix elata and Tamarindus indica, respectively. In another study in vivo DM digestibility ranged from 46.1% (for hay alone) to 56.2% (for hay plus Grewia similis). It was concluded that the addition of Tamarindus indica, Grewia similis and Delonix elata leaf meals to Cenchrus ciliaris hay resulted in increased total DM intake, in vivo digestibility and growth rate. Therefore, leaf meals of indigenous browses particularly Tamarindus indica and Grewia similis could be used as supplementary feeds for small ruminants grazing on poor quality roughages during the dry season rather than use of expensive, less effective and intermittently available sunflower seed cake. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 7 : 966-972)

Energy and Fibre Intake in a Group of Captive Giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) Offered Increasing Amounts of Browse

We investigated the effect of diet on intake of energy and fibre in a group of three captive adult giraffe by weighing offered diet items and leftovers for 7 days after an adaptation period of 7 days. Digestion coefficients were calculated using, as internal marker, the acid detergent lignin content of a faecal sample pooled from subsamples taken during the last 5 days of intake measurement. Two lucerne hay-only diets of differing quality (L1, L2) were fed, as well as the regular diet of lucerne hay and concentrates (L2C), and the regular diet supplemented with 3 or 6 kg of edible, fresh browse material (L2CB3, L2CB6). The proportion of roughage in the ingested diets L2CB6 (45 +/- 5% dry matter), L2CB3 (35 +/- 3%) and L2C (37 +/- 10%) did not differ significantly. Digestible energy intake was low on the hay-only diets [L1: 0.28 +/- 0.06 MJ/kg body weight (BW)0.75; L2: 0.33 +/- 0.10 MJ/kg BW0.75] and increased from L2C (0.60 +/- 0.13 MJ/kg BW0.75) to a significant increase with L2CB3 (0.72 +/- 0.17 MJ/kg BW0.75); no further increase was obvious for L2CB6 (0.63 +/- 0.15MJ/kg BW0.75). The results confirm that giraffes are unlikely to meet energy requirements on lucerne hay-only diets. In a feeding scenario where both lucerne hay and the concentrate component of the diet are fed ad libitum, the animals tended to exchange hay for browse when browse was added. Only the higher level of browse supplementation led to a potentially beneficial increase in fibre intake. Whether additional browse supplementation will lead to increased intakes in a feeding scenario with restricted concentrate provision can be suspected but remains to be demonstrated.

Nutritive Evaluation of Some Browse Tree Legume Foliages Native to Semi-arid Areas in Western Tanzania

Browse tree legume leaves from Acacia spp (A. nilotica, A. tortilis, A. polyacantha), Dichrostachys sp, Flagea villosa, Piliostigma thonningii, Harrisonia sp were evaluated for nutritive potential (chemical compositions and degradability characteristics) compared to Gliricidia sepium. Effect of tannins anti-nutritive activity on digestibility was also assessed by polyethylene glycol (PEG) tannin bioassay. Crude protein (CP), ash, neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL) differed (p A. nilotica>P. thonningi>F. villosa>Dichrostachys sp>A. tortilis>A. polyacantha. Addition of PEG resulted to (p<0.05) improvement in in vitro OM digestibility (IVD). Increase in IVD was mainly due to binding action of PEG on tannins; and represents potential nutritive values previously depressed by tannins anti-nutritive activity. Browse fodder has potential as sources of ruminal nitrogen especially for ruminants consuming low quality roughages due to high protein, lower fiber compositions and high potential digestibility. However, utilization of browse supplements in ruminants is hampered by high phenolic and tannin contents. Deactivation of tannin anti-nutritive activity, possibly by feeding tanniniferous browse with other readily available nitrogen sources to dilute tannin anti-nutritive activity could improve utilization of browse fodder supplements. Further studies are needed to assess browse fodder palatability and intake, and their effect on growth performance in ruminants. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2003. Vol 16, No. 10 : 1429-1437)

The nutritive value of Tipuana tipu and Calliandra calothyrsus as supplements to low-quality straw for goats

Twenty-four Australian cashmere goats (32–40 kg live-weight (LW)), held in separate metabolism cages, were used in an experiment with a 2×4 factorial arrangement of treatments to study the effects of supplements of the dried leaves (browse) from two species of fodder tree ( Tipuana tipu, and Calliandra calothyrsus ) at four different levels (0, 0.83, 1.66% LW and ad libitum) on voluntary intake and utilisation of a basal diet of barley straw (BS). A supplement of urea–molasses (UM) (30 g urea, 70 g molasses) was given to control goats (0% browse), and both these goats and those given browse supplements consumed BS ad libitum. The basal diet of barley straw plus UM was consumed in limited amounts (41 g/kg 0.75 day) and was of low DM digestibility (47–53%). At the lowest level of Tipuana supplementation (0.83% LW, 27% DM intake), voluntary consumption of BS was significantly increased above basal, resulting in a 50% increase in total intake, and 73% in digestible DM intake. When Tipuana supplements were increased to 1.66% LW (56% DM intake), BS intakes decreased to the same extent that the supplement increased , resulting in no further improvement in either total intake or efficiency of diet use. When Tipuana was offered as the sole feed, total voluntary intake and digestible DM intake reached a maximum (66.4 and 42.0 g/kg 0.75 per day, respectively), and from a consideration of all aspects of this evaluation, Tipuana tipu compared very favourably with other high-quality browse species. However, Calliandra calothyrus proved to be of less value. The lowest level of supplementation resulted in a small increase in total (18%) and digestible DM (19%) intakes, but a decreased digestibility and availability of N for absorption and use. Further increases in supplement increased digestible intake, but N availability remained low and limiting. When Calliandra was offered as the sole diet ad libitum, total and digestible DM intakes (45.6 and 21.6 g/kg 0.75 per day) were no better than the control (barley straw plus UM) diet (41.5 and 22.0 g/kg 0.75 per day) and may be characterised as low in nutritive value and, in comparison with other browse species, of limited value as either a supplement or sole feed for ruminants in the tropics.

Nutritional uniformity of neutral detergent solubles in some tropical browse leaf and pod diets

An experiment was conducted to study the nutritional uniformity of neutral detergent solubles (NDS) in tropical browse species comprising Faidherbia albida, Acacia tortilis, Delonix elata and Mulberry ( Morus alba) leaves and F. albida, A. tortilis, A. nilotica and Dichrostachys cinerea pods. The browse supplements were fed together with maize bran to individually caged goats at increasing levels in hay-based diets. Each diet had five levels of the browse feeds in duplicate which were randomly allocated to the goats in five periods of 14 days each. Chemical composition of the feeds consumed and faeces voided were determined. Nutritional uniformity (Lucas test) of NDS was determined for individual browse by regressing the digestible amount upon its content in the dry matter, in which the regression slope represents true digestibility and the y-intercept, endogenous excretions. A. nilotica pods and A. tortilis and D. elata leaves were not well accepted by the animals, due to the high levels of phenolic compounds and mould. There was no significant ( p > 0.05) relationship between the estimated amount of digested NDS and content of phenolic compounds in the browses. True digestibilities of NDS were significantly ( p < 0.05) different between the species. The y-intercepts were not significantly ( p > 0.05) different from zero for all species except F. albida leaves (−7.89). The true digestibility (±SD) of NDS for all the species combined in the Lucas test was 91.9 ± 0.03% and the metabolic matter was estimated at 3.38 ± 1.13 g/100 g of dry matter intake. The variable true NDS digestibility among the species was an indication of non-uniformity of this fraction, implying that the digestibility of the NDS fraction of tropical browse species may not be predicted from its content. Further studies to include more species are necessary to determine if this is a general phenomenon with tropical browse species.

Use of deciduous woody species as a diet supplement for goats grazing Mediterranean shrublands during the dry season

Nutritional stress during the dry summer period is considered as a primary factor limiting goat production in the Mediterranean region. This study was conducted to determine if the browse of deciduous woody fodder plants is useful as a supplement for goats grazing kermes oak shrublands during July and September. Browses used were of Amorpha fruticosa L., Carpinus orientalis Mill., Colutea arborescens L., Fraxinus ornus L., Ostrya carpinifolia Scop. and Robinia pseudoacacia L.. Treatments included: (1)–(6) kermes oak ( Quercus coccifera L.) shrubland plus fresh branches (2 kg/animal/day) of one of the above fodder plants as browse supplement, (7) kermes oak shrubland plus 0.25 (July) or 0.5 (September) kg alfalfa pellets/animal/day and (8) grazing in kermes oak shrubland as a control. Fodder plants produced high amounts of grazable material during summer whose quality ranged from medium ( Carpinus, Fraxinus, Ostrya) to high ( Amorpha, Colutea and Robinia). Goats ingested higher ( p ≤ 0.05) browse of Fraxinus (268 g DM) and Ostrya (285 g DM) than the remaining browses (22–177 g DM) and alfalfa pellets (170 g DM) during July, but of Robinia and alfalfa (469 and 434 g DM, respectively) in September. During September, intake of all supplement feeds increased compared to July except for Ostrya, which remained constant. Goats supplemented by alfalfa pellets and browse supplements gained weight in both these periods in contrast to the animals grazing only kermes oak shrubland, except for Amorpha and Colutea in July. It is concluded that during summer, when the forage quality of kermes oak shrubland declines, browse supplement with certain deciduous woody fodder plants allows weight gains similar to those of alfalfa pellets; thereby, improving grazing animal performance.

Effect of feeding graded levels of Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena pallida, Sesbania sesban and Chamaecytisus palmensis supplements to teff straw given to Ethiopian highland sheep

The effect of feeding graded levels of Leucaena leucocephala, Leucaena pallida, Sesbania sesban and Chamaecytisus palmensis supplements on intake, digestibility and live weight changes was evaluated using 102 male Ethiopian highland sheep in a 90-day trial. Teff straw ( Eragrostis tef) was fed ad libitum (control diet), or supplemented with graded levels (15, 30, 45, 60% of ration dry matter intake) of L. leucocephala, L. pallida, C. palmensis or S. sesban in a randomized complete block design. Significant ( P<0.05) decrease in teff straw intake was observed, as the level of supplement increased. Substitution rates (g kg −1 supplement) increased with increasing levels of supplementation. Substitution rate varied from 162 to 528 in L. pallida, −89 to 312 in L. leucocephala, −566 to 231 in S. sesban and −10 to 134 in C. palmensis supplemented diets. Dry matter and digestible organic matter intake increased significantly ( P<0.05) with increasing level of L. leucocephala, C. palmensis and S. sesban, but not in L. pallida. Live weight gain increased significantly ( P<0.01) with increasing level of browse supplementation. The animals fed the control diet lost weight (−24.4 g d −1) while the supplemented ones gained weight in the range of 6.5–65.2 g d −1. The maximum live weight gain (65.2 g d −1) was observed in sheep fed a diet with 60% L. pallida. The optimum levels of browse supplementation in terms of live weight gain per g supplement were 45, 45, 30, 30% DM of total ration for L. leucocephala, L. pallida, C. palmensis and S. sesban, respectively. A close relationship between live weight gain and amount of supplement was observed. The digestibilities of DM, OM, N and supplement DM increased significantly ( P<0.05) with increasing level of supplementation. No significant ( P>0.05) differences were observed in NDF digestibility. Faecal nitrogen, urinary nitrogen output and nitrogen retention increased significantly ( P<0.0001) with level of supplementation.

Nutritional and economic benefits of Leucaena and Gliricidia as feed supplements for small ruminants in humid West Africa.

Considering leguminous trees Leucaena and Gliricidia as good sources of quality food, on-station and on-farm studies were conducted in the humid zone of West Africa to establish animal responses to levels, times and forms of browse supplementation, to develop alternative feeding strategies for utilising limited feed supply and to assess the economic benefits of feed supplements as against the use of tree foliage as mulch for crop production. Results indicate that at any level of supplement, sheep grew twice as fast as goats. The main benefits of supplementation came through increased growth and survival. Form and level of supplementation had significant effect on intake. Economic analyses showed that crop response to mulching was the principal competing determinant of whether the use of tree foliage as feed supplement was economic.

Utilization of browse supplements with varying tannin levels by Ethiopian Menz sheep: 1. Intake, digestibility and live weight changes

The effect of tannins in browse supplements on intake, digestibility and live weight changes was evaluated using sixty-six male Ethiopian Menz sheep in a 90-day trial. Teff straw (Eragrostis tef) was fed ad libitum (control diet), or supplemented with 190 g dried leaves of six Sesbania sesban accessions with increasing levels of condensed tannin (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6), lablab (Dolichos lablab), tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis), leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and goetzei (Sesbania goetzei), in a completely randomized block design. The condensed tannins were highest in goetzei, S6, S5 and leucaena, intermediate in S4, S3, S2 and S1, and lowest in tagasaste and lablab. The forages differed significantly (P S5 > goetzei) in LWG. The digestibilities of total DM and the supplements did not differ significantly (P < 0.05) between the diets, although the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) digestibility decreased significantly (P < 0.05) with supplementation. The control diet had significantly higher NDF digestibility than the leucaena, S3, S4, S5 and S6 supplemented diets. Results have beneficial attributes at low levels in ruminants. Condensed tannins confer important advantages in ruminant nutrition with respect to the prevention of excessive degradation of protein in the rumen.

Utilization of browse supplements with varying tannin levels by Ethiopian Menz sheep: 2. Nitrogen metabolism

The effect of different condensed tannins concentrations on protein metabolism from browse supplements was investigated in a 90-day trial using sixty-six male Ethiopian Menz sheep. Teff straw (Eragrostis tef) was fed ad libitum (control diet), or supplemented with 190 g dried leaves of six Sesbania sesban accessions with increasing levels of condensed tannin (S1, S2, S3, S4, S5 and S6), lablab (Dolichos lablab), tagasaste (Chamaecytisus palmensis), leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) and goetzei (Sesbania goetzei) in a completely randomized block design. The condensed tannins were highest in goetzei; S6, S5 and leucaena, intermediate in S4, S3, S2 and S1, and lowest in tagasaste and lablab. The supplemented animals had significantly (P S2 > S3 > S4 > S5), and an increase (P S2 > S3 > S4 > S5), and an increase in the estimated escape protein. The estimated rumen degradable protein (supplements) varied from 482 to 744 g kg-1 CP, while intestine digestible protein and the undegradable protein varied from 140 to 314 g kg-1 CP, hence the browses can supply adequate levels of rumen degradable and bypass protein.

The effect of browse supplementation on maize husk utilization by goats

The effect of browse supplementation on maize husk (Zea mays) utilization by goats was studied in a 12 week feeding and 2 week digestibility trial. Twenty-four goats were stratified according to their weight, and then randomly allocated to four treatments. Browse supplementation significantly increased (P 0.05). The browse supplemented goats gained more weight than the non browse supplemented goats.

Leguminous Browse Supplementation Effect on the Agronomic Value of Sheep and Goat Manure

ABSTRACT The purpose of the study was to monitor the trend of N build-up in wood shavings used as bedding for sheep/goats fed on leguminous fodder supplementation and to determine effects of increasing levels of supplementation in the diet on manurial value of the litter. Basal diet consisting of ad libitum guinea grass (Panicum maximum) was supplemented with leguminous fodder at four levels: 200, 400, 800, 1200 g DM/head/day. Samples of wood shavings mixed with faeces, urine and spilled feed were taken at 2-week intervals after penning the animals for a period of 7 weeks and then analysed for N content. Manure from the four feed types was compared at three rates of application (4, 8, 12g/kg soil) in a pot trial. A second trial was run to test effects of increasing levels of wood shavings on immobilization of applied and native N. Generally, accumulation of N in litter increased progressively with time. Increasing leguminous fodder supplementation in the diet improved manurial value of bedding. Wood shavi...

Consumption of Artificial Browse Supplements by Penned White-Tailed Deer

Four experiments with captive white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) involving 54 adults of both sexes were conducted to establish if a manufactured protein-energy supplement block would be consumed by deer subsisting on winter browse, and, if so, whether this supplement has po- tential for increasing winter survival. When fed with evergreen and/or hardwood browse, this sup- plement increased dry matter intakes from 39 to 161 percent. This increase was a result of both sup- plement ingestion and increased consumption of browse. Apparent digestibility of the food was not increased, but rumen function appeared more normal and the increased nutrient supply to the tissues resulted in decreased tissue catabolism and less weight loss. The use of attractants on the blocks did not consistently speed their acceptance as food. The opportunity for deer to consume a protein-energy sup- plement, when winter browse is the only other food available, has the potential for reducing weight loss and perhaps reducing death from starvation.