PHYTOCHEMICAL INDICES OF SHIVAN (GMELINA ARBOREA) AND SANDPAPER (FICUS EXASPERATA) LEAVES AS FORAGES FOR RUMINANTS

Abstract

Browses and shrubs can contribute to reduce feeding cost for ruminants. They are known to contain phytochemicals, some of which have great potentials as substitutes for classic antibiotics and can enter the structure of feed additives with a promising effect on animal production. There is however, paucity of information on the phytochemical contents of Gmelina arborea and Ficus exasperate leaves. Thus study qualitatively and quantitatively assess the levels of phenols, tannin, saponin, steroids, flavonoid, terpenoid, reducing sugar, phytates, anthraquinones, cardiac glycoside, alkaloids
and volatile oils in the leaves. The qualitative screening revealed the presence of all the investigated phytochemicals in the two fodders. Quantitatively, Gmelina arborea had significantly (P< 0.05) higher contents of phenols (624.36 vs. 99.22 mg/100g), flavonoid (126.49 mg/100g), tannins (153.79 vs. 103.36 mg/100g) and phytate (152.99 vs. 105.81 mg/100g) compared to Ficus exasperata. No significant (P>0.05) differences were observed in the contents of the other investigated
phytochemicals. It can be concluded that the two fodders show promise as ruminant feedstuffs, with Gmelina having an edge, from the standpoint of their phytochemical compositions.