The content of protein, fibre and minerals of leaves of selected Acacia species indigenous to north-western Tanzania.
Browse tree leaves of six species of Acacia (A. angustissima L., A. drepanolobium L., A. nilotica L., A. polyacantha L., A. senegal L., A. tortilis L.) were screened for chemical composition, including minerals and trace elements. Crude protein (CP) varied among the species from 145 (A. senegal) to 229 g/kg DM (A. angustissima). The species had moderate to high levels of minerals. The concentrations of Ca, P, Mg and S varied among the species from 14.6-31.5, 3.5-4.9, 1.4-3.0 and 1.7-2.8 g/kg DM, respectively. The forages showed relatively low concentrations of trace elements. Content of trace elements varied among the species from 4.5-23.8, 99.4-173.6, 146.2-432, 41.0-90.1, 10.9-22.2 and 0.05-0.65 mg/kg DM for Cu, Mo, Fe, Mn, Zn and Co, respectively. All leaves of browse species would meet the normal requirements for Ca, P, Mg and S in ruminants, although some species had higher levels of Ca than tabulated mineral requirements in livestock. Assayed Cu, Mn, Zn and Co would satisfy the lower range of recommended requirements of trace elements depending on their bioavailability. Therefore, browse leaves from Acacias could form good sources of CP and mineral supplements to ruminants.
Rubanza
Chrispinus D K
CD
Tanzania Forestry Research Institute, Shinyanga, Tanzania.
Shem
Martin N
MN
Bakengesa
Siima S
SS
Ichinohe
Toshiyoshi
T
Fujihara
Tsutomu
T
D000045:Acacia / Q000737:chemistry*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000032:analysis*; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000032:analysis*; D008903:Minerals / Q000032:analysis*; D009751:Nutritional Requirements; D009753:Nutritive Value; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry; D012418:Ruminants; D013045:Species Specificity; D013636:Tanzania; D014131:Trace Elements / Q000032:analysis
D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins; D008903:Minerals; D014131:Trace Elements