Nutritional assessment of leaves and seeds of some horticultural trees and shrubs as feed for ruminants in southwest Nigeria

Abstract

The nutritional potential of leaf meal (LM), seed meal (SM) and a mixture of both LM and SM (LMSM) of Bauhinia monandra, Bauhinia acuminata, Acacia nilotica and Terminalia catappa were assessed for animal feeding. The LM, SM and LMSM were analysed for proximate composition, fibre fractions and antinutients. Crude protein (CP) contents ranged from 28.18 g/100gDM in Terminalia Catappa LM to 11.53 g/100g DM in Bauhinia acuminata LMSM). Ether extract (EE) was highest (P<0.05) in Bauhinia monandra LM (53.50g/100g DM) and followed by B. monandra SM and B. acuminata LM (38.00 and 16.50 g/100g DM respectively). Neutral detergent fibre (NDF) was highest (P<0.05) in Terminalia catappa SM (63.20 g/100g DM) and lowest (P<0.05) in A. nilotica SM and LMSM (39.95 and 40.00 g/100gDM respectively). The highest (P<0.05) saponin and tannin concentrations (565.5 and 48.0 mg/100g DM respectively) were observed in Terminalia catappa SM and the least values (19.5 and 3.0 mg/100g DM respectively) were observed for Bauhinia acuminata LM. It is concluded that the leaf meal, seed meal and leaf + seed meals of the tropical trees and shrubs and the horticultural plants could be used as animal feeding resources, apart from their aesthetic values.