Nutrient degradation, gas production and metabolites concetration on Cryosopogon fulvus-shrubs tree leaves diets in sheep and goats inoculums

Abstract

Dietary combinations of Cryosopogon fuZvus (CF) grass with 5 species each of tree leaves (Hardwickia binata-HB, Albizia lebbek-AL, Grewia optiva-GO, Anogeissus pendulla-AP and Leucaena leucocephaZa-LL) and shrubs (Dichrostachys cinerea-DC, Securengia virosa-SV, Zizyphus xylophyrus-ZX, Helictris isora-HI and Acacia catechuAC) in 50:50 and 75:25 ratios were evaluated for in vitro nutrients degradation, gas production and metabolites production in sheep and goat inoculums. CF-LL, CF-AL, CF-HI and CF-GO diets had (P <0.5)CP contents at 50:50 than 75:25, while fibre contents were lower in former than later ratio. CF-LL, CF-GO and CF-AL diets revealed more gas production at 3, 6 and 12 h of fermentation both in sheep and goat, while CF-AC, CF-ZX and CF-DC diets revealed higher gas production at later hours (48 and 72h) of incubation in both species. CF-LL and CF-GO exhibited higher gas production at 50:50 and 75:25 ratios in sheep and goat against lowest with CF-DC in both species. CF-LL, CF-SVand CF-GO diets had higher DM, CP, NDF and ADF degradability in sheep inoculum, while these nutrients were more degradable in goat inoculum from CF-LL, CF-SVand diets. Species exhibited higher degradability of DM at 50:50 ratio than at 75:25, CP and ADF degradability was comparable in sheep and goat at 50:50 and 75:25 ratios of CF-shrubs/tree leaves. CF-SV, :CF-AL and CF-HI diets exhibited higher TVFA in sheep inoculum, while total-N and ammonia-N was mor~ due to CF-GO and CF-HB. CF-SV, CF-ZX and CF-DC diets exhibited higher TVFA production in goat inoculum. Total-N and NH3-N production was higher due to incubation of CF-LL, CF-GO and CF-HB in goat inoculum. Higher total-N and NH3-N concentration was recorded on fermentation of CF-shrubs/tree leaves diets in sheep inoculum at 50:50 than 75:25,while goat revealed higher TVFA and total-N at 50:50 than 75:25 ratio. CF-LL, CF-GO, CF-HI and CF-SV diets had higher gas production, nutrients degradability and metabolites concentration in inoculum of both species, while sheep and goat had more nutrients degradability and TVFA production at 75:25 and 50:50 ratios of CF-shrubs/tree leaves diets, respectively.