Publication Date

1993

Description

The nitrogen (N) distribution of 2 tropical browse leaves (Balanites aegypliaca and Guiera senegalensis) and of 2 temperate alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hays was determined and the ruminal degradation of total N and fibre N fractions (NDSN, AFN, ADFN) was measured with nylon bag method. The average N degradability of temperate forages was not different, 77.1%, but that of the browse forages varied from 27.5% (G11iera) to 85.1 % (Balanites), The neutral­detergent-soluble N degraded rapidly in the rumen, whereas the acid­detergent-fibre N remained undegraded for all samples. The available fibre N was not high, except for the 3rd growth alfalfa (28% total N) in which 63.3 was degraded. The lowest N degradability of Guiera leaves can be explained by N content in cell wall and lignocellulose.

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Comparative Ruminal Nitrogen Degradability of Tropical Browse and Alfalfa Hays

The nitrogen (N) distribution of 2 tropical browse leaves (Balanites aegypliaca and Guiera senegalensis) and of 2 temperate alfalfa (Medicago sativa) hays was determined and the ruminal degradation of total N and fibre N fractions (NDSN, AFN, ADFN) was measured with nylon bag method. The average N degradability of temperate forages was not different, 77.1%, but that of the browse forages varied from 27.5% (G11iera) to 85.1 % (Balanites), The neutral­detergent-soluble N degraded rapidly in the rumen, whereas the acid­detergent-fibre N remained undegraded for all samples. The available fibre N was not high, except for the 3rd growth alfalfa (28% total N) in which 63.3 was degraded. The lowest N degradability of Guiera leaves can be explained by N content in cell wall and lignocellulose.