EVALUATION OF THE NUTRITIONAL POTENTIALS OF BAOBAB (Adansonia digitata) AS SMALL RUMINANTS FEED

Abstract

This research was conducted to evaluate the nutritional potentials of Adansonia digitata. The experiment was conducted at the Department of Animal Health and Production, Binyaminu Usman Polytechnic, Hadejia, Jigawa State, Nigeria. Twenty (20) Adansonia digitata trees were selected within four (4) Communities, followed by identified Five (5) Adansonia digitata trees per Community. After that, from each tree, samples were collected manually and making one comprehensive sample from fresh and dried leaves, fruits pulp and seeds making four treatments designated as T1, T2, T3 and T4 respectively and were replicated three times. The results were significantly (P<0.05) different in the parameters assessed. Fresh leaves resulted in highest moisture content (9.90%) while the seeds had the lowest value (1.53%). Ash content was highest in dried leaves (12.00%) whereas fresh leaves resulted in smallest value (3.80%). Seeds revealed in highest CP content (14.00%), while the fruits pulp had the lowest value (3.00%). Fruits pulp had the highest crude fibre (25.20%), while the fresh leaves had the lowest value (3.30%). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) content was higher in fresh leaves (54.00%) whereas the fruits pulp had the lowest (18.40%). The highest value of acid detergent fibre (ADF) 36.00% was also recorded in fresh leaves while fruits pulp also had the lowest value 12.00%.