Chemical Composition, In vitro Digestibility of Foliage Guazuma ulmifolia and Crescentia alata and its Use in Feeding Lambs

Abstract

Chemical composition, Gas Production in vitro (IVGP), in vitro Dry Matter (IVDMD) and Organic Matter (IVOMD) digestibility, was determined in foliages of C. alata and G. ulmifolia; it was also determined the growth performance of 25 lambs (body weight: 22.9±0.8kg), assigned to the following diets: T0 = control diet without foliage, T1 and T2 = 15 and 30% of C. alata and T3 and T4 = 15 and 30% of G. ulmifolia respectively. The animal measured response variables were: Dry Matter Intake (DMI), Total Weight Gain (TWG), Daily Weight Gain (DWG) and Feed Conversion (FC). Crude Protein (CP), Total Phenolics (PT), Condensed Tannins (CT) and IVDMD were higher (p<0.01) in G. ulmifolia, 167.0, 38.2, 41.5 and 590.0 g/kg DM respectively. Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) and Metabolizable Energy (ME) was higher (p<0.001) in C. alata, 502.0, 315.0 g/kg DM and 4.7 MJ/kg DM respectively; the IVGP at 24, 48 and 96 h were higher (p<0.001) in the foliage of C. alata with 66.1, 170.9 and 210.6 ml/g DM respectively. The DMI was higher (p<0.05) in lambs of T1 (1339.8 g/animal/day) and T2 (1381.4 g/animal/day), the TWG and DWG was higher in lambs of T1 (13.2 kg/animal and 295.6 g/animal, respectively). T0 lambs had more FC (4.4 kg DM) (p<0.01). We conclude that foliages G. ulmifolia and C. alata are important source of CP and fiber in the diet of lambs and their low content of TP and CT did not affect the growth performance of animals.