Genet et al_2024 Seasonal Variation of Chemical Composition and Invitro dry matter digestibility of forages in Eastern Zone of Tigray.

Abstract

Seasonal variation in nutritive value of five cactus (Oputinia ficus indica) cultivars and other browse species in Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia.

Genet Berhe¹³*, Teferi Aregawi² and Amasalu Sisay³

¹³Department of Animal science, Gambella University, Gambella, Ethiopia, email:genetberhe2010@gmail.com,

²Tigray  Agricultural Research Institute, Mekelle, Ethiopia, Email:  taregawi16@gmail.com,

³Department of Animal science, Hawassa University, Hawassa, Ethiopia,

email:  solianaa2008@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Feed shortage is one constraint for livestock production and it shows some fluctuations in different seasons. So, this study was done to evaluate seasonal variation in nutritive value of five cactus cultivars (Dekik, Korem, Lematse, Tsaeda, and Keyh) and other tree species (Acacia saligna, Eculea schimperi, Olea europea, Carisa edulis and Dodonaea viscosa) in Eastern Tigray, Ethiopia. Browse plants were chosen for their abundance and their utilization as animal feed and human food. In vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), and dry matter (DM) were measured using samples of  leave part of these plants harvested in  dry season (January and February) and in wet season (August and September). Among cactus cultivars the lowest and highest CP contents were recorded in Korem and Lematse respectively. Tsaeda and Lematse had the lowest and greatest NDF contents, respectively. The two cultivars with the lowest and greatest IVDMD were Tsaeda (61.32%) and Keyh. Among tree species, Dodoneae viscosa and Eculea schimperi had the lowest and highest NDF content, whereas Olea europaea, Carisa edulis, and Dodoneae viscosa had the lowest and highest CP content. Eculea schimperi (44.23%) and Dodoneae viscosa had the lowest and greatest IVDMD, respectively. In this study browse plants harvested in wet season had higher IVDMD and CP content than browse plants harvested in dry season. However, browse plants harvested in dry season had higher DM, ash, NDF, ADF, and ADL contents than in wet season. Most of the browse plants evaluated had high feed potential based on chemical and digestibility values recorded. Lematse from the cactus cultivars while Acacia saligna and Dodonaea viscosa from tree species are promising in terms of protein supplements. However, this conclusion needs to be supported by animal experiments.

Key words: Acacia saligna, chemical and digestibility values, Crude Protein,  Lematse, Olea europea

*Corresponding author: genetberhe2010@gmail.com