Nutritive value of Adenodolichos rhomboideus leaves compared with Leucaena leucocephala and Stylosanthes guianensis forages in indigenous goats in Lubumbashi (DR Congo)

• Main Authors: Tshibangu Muamba, I., Nsahlai Ignatius, V., Kiatoko Mangeye, H., Hornick, JL.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Presses Agronomiques de Gembloux 2014-01-01
• Series: Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement
• Subjects: Goats; digestibility; nutrient intake; forage legumes; Adenodolichos rhomboideus
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/11006/140

Three forages (Adenodolichos rhomboideus,Leucaena leucocephala, and Stylosanthes guianensis) were evaluated for their chemical composition, and for both voluntary intake and apparent in vivo digestibility of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), and acid detergent fibre (ADF) as estimated by six goats (17.1 kg ± 0.7) used in a 3 × 3 double Latin square design. Forage from S. guianensis had a lower (p < 0.001) CP content than L. leucocephala forage and A. rhomboideus leaves. Fibre content (ADF and NDF) was lower (p < 0.001) in L. leucocephala (35%) forage than in A. rhomboideus (59.5%) and S. guianensis forages (56.5%). Leucaena leucocephala forage presented higher CP, ash, and ether extract levels, and higher digestibility and voluntary intake of CP. Adenodolichos rhomboideus leaves had lower (p < 0.05) apparent digestibility and intake of DM. Digestible CP content was similar for A. rhomboideus leaves and S. guianensis forage. Leucaena leucocephala appears to be the most adequate forage for goat production. Low digestibility and voluntary intake of A. rhomboideus leaves may be due to negative effect of an anti-nutritional factor such as tannin.