ORIGINAL PAPER
A note on ruminal in situ degradability and in vitro
gas production of some West African grass species
and multipurpose legume tree leaves
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Rowett Research Institute, International Feed Resources Unit,
Greenburn Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen AB21 9SB, Scotland
Publication date: 1999-07-05
Corresponding author
A. Teguia
Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture,
and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, RO. BOX 70 Dschang, Cameroon
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 1999;8(3):415-424
KEYWORDS
ABSTRACT
Samples of two grass species (Pennisetum purpureum, Trypsacum laxum) and four multipurpose tree leaves (Leucaena leucocephala, Calliandra calothyrsus, Sesbania sesban, Gliricidia sepium) from the Western Highland of Cameroon were tested using nylon bag and in vitro gas production techniques. The two grasses were of similar chemical composition and degradation characteristics. Leucaena leucocephala and Sesbania sesban had the highest potential in sacco degradability
and Calliandra calothyrsus the lowest. Although the in vitro fermentation failed to rank the browse
species in the same order, there was a high positive correlation (r2 = 0.74) between the 48 h nylon
bag degradation and the 48 h gas production. The in vitro degradation of Calliandra calothyrsus was
unexpectedly low as compared to the in sacco potential degradability of the plant.