Abstract:
A study to compare the effects of supplementing Delonix 이 ata, Gre^ia similis, Tamarindus indica and sunflower seed
cake on intake and growth rate of dual-purpose goats fed low quality Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) hay was carried out. Twenty-eight
male goats aged five to seven months (mean weight 12.93 ± 3.94 kg) were randomly allocated to four dietary groups in a completely
randomised design. The diets were hay plus Grewia similis, hay plus Delonix elata, hay plus Tamarindus indica and hay plus sunflower
seed cake. All diets were supplemented with maize bran. The experimental period was 90 days. Voluntary dry matter intake of the
supplements was higher for Tamarindus indica (275.5 g/day) and Grewia similis (201.8 g/day) and lowest for sunflower seed cake (81
g/day). Goats supplemented with Grewia similis had the highest hay intake (183.8 g/day) while those supplemented with sunflower seed
cake had the lowest hay intake (98.9 g/day). Animals fed browse supplements gained significantly more weight (p<0.001) than those
with sunflower seed cake. There were no significant differences in live weight change between goats fed the different browses.
However, those fed Tamarindus indica gained an average of 20.79 g/d which was slightly higher than the gains for those on Grewia
similis and Delonix elata while those fed sunflower seed cake lost weight. Correspondingly, goats supplemented with browse leaf meals
had higher feed conversion ratios than those supplemented with sunflower seed cake and required 23.91 to 35.06 g DM of feed to
produce one g of weight gain per day. In a separate study, the DM disappearance pattern indicated that Grewia similis and Delonix elata
were highly degradable compared to Tamarindus indica . At 24 h of incubation, DM degradability was 627, 588 and 345 g/kg DM for
Grewia similis, Delonix elata and Tamarindus indica, respectively. In another study in vivo DM digestibility ranged from 46.1% (for hay
alone) to 56.2% (for hay plus Grewia similis). It was concluded that the addition of Tamarindus indica, Grewia similis and Delonix elata
leaf meals to Cenchrus ciliaris hay resulted in increased total DM intake, in vivo digestibility and growth rate. Therefore, leaf meals of
indigenous browses particularly Tamarindus indica and Grewia similis could be used as supplementary feeds for small ruminants
grazing on poor quality roughages during the dry season rather than use of expensive, less effective and intermittently available
sunflower seed cake. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2005. Vol 18, No. 7 : 966-972)
