In- situ Degradability and In vitro Gas Production of Selected Multipurpose tree Leaves and Alfalfa as Ruminant Feeds

In-situ degradability and in vitro gas production technique were used to evaluate the nutritive value of Albizia lebbeck (AL), Leucaena leucecophala (Lu), Sesbania sesban (SE), Sesbania fermuza (SF) leaves and Alfalfa (ALF). In the In-situ degradability study the sample were incubated at a different time (2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 48 and 72 hrs.) in the rumen of two fistulated, adult crossbred cattle. The gas production was continuously measured by incubating samples in buffered rumen from two adult crossbred cattle (2,4,8,16,24,48 and 72 hrs.) The results indicated that CP content ranged from 17.21 to 21.28% and significantly higher (P < 0.05) for SE 21.28% while ALF had a lower CP content 17.21%. NDF and ADF contents were higher for leaves of AL and ALF than leaves of LU, SE and SF. Total tannins content of the leaves range from 2.31 to 9.41% for ALF and LU respectively. OM and CP degradability kinetics (effective degradability, potential degradability, and slow degradation fraction) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) for SF and SE than LU, AL and ALF. Significantly higher (P < 0.05) in gas production were observed in SF and ALF compared to SE, AL and LU.