Evaluation of promissory tree species for sheep feeding in The Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico

• Published in: Animal feed science and technology Vol. 73; no. 1; pp. 59 - 69
• Main Authors: Nahed, J, Sánchez, A, Grande, D, Pérez-Gil, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.07.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: ALNUS; Animal productions; ARBOLES; ARBRE; Biological and medical sciences; BROWSE PLANTS; BUDDLEJA; CHIAPAS; ERYTHRINA; FEED CROPS; Feeding. Feeding behavior; FEUILLAGE; Fodder trees; FOLIAGE; FOLLAJE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Highlands; Mexico; NUTRITIVE VALUE; OVIN; OVINOS; PLANTAS DE RAMONEO; PLANTAS FORRAJERAS; PLANTE D'ABROUTISSEMENT; PLANTE FOURRAGERE; QUERCUS; SHEEP; Sheep feeding; Terrestrial animal productions; TREES; VALEUR NUTRITIVE; VALOR NUTRITIVO; Vertebrates; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Central America; Mexico; America; Mexico; Highlands; Fodder trees; Sheep feeding; Fodder tree; Ornamental shrub; Ruminant animal; Animal feeding; Nutritive value; Forest tree; Plant leaf; Buddlejaceae; Alnus jorullensis; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Leguminosae; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Sheep; Spermatophyta; Hardwood forest tree; Artiodactyla; Betulaceae; Ungulata; Feed
• ISSN: 0377-8401; 1873-2216
• DOI: 10.1016/S0377-8401(98)00131-X

The main objective of this study consisted of evaluating the fodder potential of the foliage of Buddleia cordata, Montanoa leucantha subsp. arborescens, Erythrina chiapasana, Quercus rugosa and Alnus acuminata var. arguta, tree species present in The Highlands of Chiapas, Mexico, in order to select the best fodder and carry out an evaluation of the species with greatest potential in sheep feeding. The chemical composition results on a dry matter basis were as follows: the crude protein (CP) content ranged from 8.4% in Q. rugosa to 27.7% in M. leucantha. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) ranged from 39.0% in M. leucantha to 58.3% in Q. rugosa and Acid detergent fiber (ADF) varied from 30.8% in M. leucantha to 56.8% in Q. rugosa; Gross energy (GE) contents were 3.0 kcal/g or even greater. Tannic acid was detected from 0.25 g/100 g in E. chiapasana to 1.1 g/100 g in Q. rugosa; there were no cyanogenic glucosides detected in the samples, and no alkaloids were encountered in Q. rugosa and A. acuminata, but E. chiapasana showed higher alkaloid content than the other trees. Q. rugosa had the highest foliage production (6.9 kg DM/plant/cut), while E. chiapasana had the lowest production (1.2 kg DM/plant/cut). In an in vivo intake and digestibility trial, the leaves of M. leucantha fed as a sole diet for sheep had the best composition values, higher ( P<0.05) in vivo dry matter intake (IVDMI-L) (628 g/day) and in vivo dry matter digestibility (IVDMD-L) (76%) of the five evaluated species. Therefore, the foliage of M. leucantha was included in the sheep's diet in a growth and digestion trial at 0%, 25% and 40% levels of inclusion replacing alfalfa ( M. sativa); in vivo CP intake (IVCPI-D) (106.9 g/day), in vivo CP digestibility (IVCPD-D) (67.5%), and live weight gain (LWG) (75 g/day) were higher ( P<0.05) in sheep fed with diets including M. leucantha leaves at 40% level of inclusion. In vivo DM intake (IVDMI-D), in vivo DE intake (IVDEI-D) and in vivo NDF intake (IVNDFI-D), as well as in vivo DM digestibility (IVDMD-D), in vivo DE digestibility (IVDED-D), in vivo NDF digestibility (IVNDFD-D) and wool production (WP), were similar ( P>0.05) in diets including 0%, 25% and 40% of Montanoa leucantha leaves.