Nutritive attributes of Sesbania parchycapa fodder in a crop-livestock farming system

Abstract

Two experiments were conducted to investigate and compare the nutritive attributes of Sesbania parchycapa (SP) in a crop-livestock farming system. In Experiment 1, the feeding attributes of Sesbania parchycapa (SP) fodder was investigated with 15 West African Dwarf (WAD) sheep, by feeding Panicum maximum (PM) alone and P. maximum supplemented with S. parchycapa (SP) in the ratio of 70:30. The study lasted 28 days, during which feed intake was monitored daily. In Experiment 2, the nutritive value of SP was investigated with WAD sheep and goats by feeding them as sole diets. The study lasted 15 days consisting of 10 days adjustment and 5 days of data collection using 5 each of bucks and rams in a completely randomised design. In the first trial, DM intake (99.5g/kgBW^0.75) was higher for the control PM and least (72.8g/kgBW^0.75) for SP. Total DM intake followed similar trend. In the second trial, DM (185g/kgBW^0.75), CP (40%) and NDF (645g/kgBW^0.75) intakes were generally higher (p<0.05). for sheep than for goats. DAM (562), CP (421) and NDF 680g/kg digestibility coefficients were also higher (p<0.05)for sheep than for goats. The N balance and retention (g/h/d) was higher in sheep. Results indicated that intake, digestibility and N- utilisation of S. parcyhcapa by sheep is better than goats although both had a positive N-balance. It could be concluded that apart from the well known positive impact of S. Parchycapa in agro forestry and alley farming systems, it can effectively serve as protein supplement in a small holder crop-livestock farming system.