IN SACCO DRY MATTER DEGRADABILITY OF SOME NIGERIAN BROWSE PLANTS

One of the major constraints to livestock production is feed which necessitated this study. Twenty (20) browse species of semi-arid origin from the Semi-arid zone (Guinea Savannah vegetational zone) of Nigeria were screened for chemical composition and Rumen Degradation Characteristics (RDC) as a means of evaluating the feed values of the plants under study. The study conducted determined the chemical composition and rumen degradation characteristics of some browse plants and crop residues using the Orskov’s exponential equation P = a + b (1-e^-ct). Three grams (3g) of each sample in triplicate were dispensed into the nylon bags and incubated for 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours in the rumen of two cannulated goats of 20kg and 16kg respectively. The mean NDF, lignin and CP content of browse species were 42.95%, 7.96% and 12.90%, while the mean values for DM, Ash, ADF and EE were 87.40%, 8.66%, 26.20%, and 5.72% respectively. The mean of the rumen degradation characteristics were 37.67%, 45.17%, 52.99%, 62.67% and 71.61% at 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hours respectively. Feed that is degraded within 6, 12 and 24 hours may be considered as substantial feed even though based on this study the optimal potential degradation value of browse species was at 48 hours and maximum at 72 hours. The chemical composition shows browse plants to be rich in protein content. Plant that show exceptional degradation was S.virosa with rumen degradation characteristics of 58% and 94% at 6 and 48hours, 48% and 12% NDF and CP respectively. The plants mentioned above were recommended based on their chemical contents and rumen degradation characteristics which presents them to be unique and are commonly found around the area studied.