title: Evaluation of the nutritive value of muiumba (Baikiaea plurijuga) seeds: chemical composition, in vitro organic matter digestibility and in vitro gas production.
abstract: One of the main constraints hindering the increase of animal production in semi-arid regions of Africa is the inadequate supply of nutrients during the dry season. Incorporation of alternative feed resources in ruminant diets during this period could be a viable approach to overcome these limitations. The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value of muiumba (Baikiaea plurijuga) tree seeds as an alternative nutrient source for ruminants. Muiumba seeds were compared to other eight feedstuffs including two cereal grains (corn and oat), two wheat by-products (wheat bran and distilled wheat) and four protein meals (coconut meal, sunflower meal, soybean meal and rapeseed meal) as to its chemical composition, in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) and in vitro gas production. The moderate crude protein concentrations (145 g/kg DM) of muiumba seeds indicate that this feedstuff could not be used as a protein supplement, contrarily to the majority of multipurpose tree seeds. Although the starch content was scarce (15 g/kg DM), the low neutral detergent fibre (235 g/kg DM), low molecular weight sugar (76.1 g/kg DM) and non-starch polysaccharide (510.5 g/kg DM) contents indicate that this feedstuff has potential feeding value. This was confirmed by the IVOMD (0.770) and by the data provided by the in vitro gas production showing that muiumba seeds had high (P < 0.05) maximum gas production and fractional fermentation rates, suggesting that these seeds are characterized by a highly fermentable fraction.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Animal Science and Veterinary Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, P.O. Box 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Miguel A M
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Animal Science and Veterinary Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, P.O. Box 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lourenço
authors.affiliation: Wageningen Institute of Animal Sciences, Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: John W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Cone
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila-Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Fernando M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Nunes
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Science and Veterinary Research Centre, Universidade Vasco da Gama, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Santos
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Universidade José Eduardo dos Santos, Huambo, Angola.
authors.forename: José M M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Cordeiro
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Animal Science and Veterinary Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, P.O. Box 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Cristina M V
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Guedes
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Animal Science and Veterinary Research Centre, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, P.O. Box 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real, Portugal.
authors.forename: Luis M M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
keywords: Muiumba seeds; Nutritive value