NUTRITIVE VALUE OF MORPHOLOGICAL FRACTIONS OF Sesbania sesban and Desmodium intortum

Abstract

Nutritive value of morphological fractions of Sesbania sesban [accession 15019] and Desmodium intortum cv. Greenleaf was estimated based on chemical composition, in sacco dry matter (DM) degradability, in vitro gas production (IVGP) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). In Sesbania, neutral detergent fiber (NDFom) and acid detergent fiber (ADFom) contents were higher (P<0.05) in twigs and green pods, whereas the acid detergent lignin (ADLsa) content showed the following ranking order (P<0.05): green pods > twigs > whole forage > leaves. The soluble tannins (STs) content was higher (P<0.05) in green pods and whereas the content of condensed tannins (CTs) was higher (P<0.05) in leaves and whole forage. All fractions had sufficient levels of macro and micro minerals, except sodium. Sesbania leaves and whole forage had higher (P<0.05) potential in sacco degradability (A+B) and in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD). In the case of Desmodium, the twigs had lower CP contents and leaves had lower NDFom, ADFom and ADLsa contents. The STs content was highest in leaves whereas the CTs content was higher in whole forage. The washing loss (A) was higher in twigs, while the slowly degradable fraction (B) was higher in greed pods. In the view of the nutrient contents, both Sesbania and Desmodium can be used as a supplement to improve the nutritional status of ruminants fed low quality roughages.