Nutritive value of Balanites aegyptiaca as feed for ruminants

摘要

ThisstudywasundertakentoevaluatetheforagepotentialofBalanitesaegyptiaca,onetheshrubsthatcanprovideedibleforagefordomesticandwildherbivoresduringthedryseason.Resultsshowedthatthisplantoffersedibleforageovertheentireyear,eventhoughcompositionalvariationshavebeenobservedaccordingtheseasons.nbsp;Totalproteincontentswerehighestforyoungleaves(223g/kgDM).Therainingseasonallowshigherproteincontent.Digestibilityvaluesovertheentireproductioncycle,rangedfrom53.0to64.0%fordrymatter,from58.0to70.0%fororganicmatterandfrom64.0to79.0%fortotalnitrogen.Anaveragedailygainof116gperdaywasattainedbysheepfedarationcontaining60%Balanitesaegyptiacaand40%Pennisetumpedicellatumhayat70gDM/kgBW0.75.nbsp;Balanitesaegyptiacaleavesaregoodcomplementstograminaeforagesinrationsforruminantswhentheplantisinthestageofsproutingnewleavesandnewfruits.