Assessment of nutritive value of four dominant weed species in north central Nigeria

摘要

Fourselectedtropicalweeds:Cleomeviscosa,Cyperusesculentus,DiodiascandensandEurphorbiahirtawereevaluatedfortheirnutritivevaluebyproximatecomposition,mineralcomposition,anti-nutritionalfactorandinvitrogasproductionmethod.Proximatecompositionshowedthatalltheweedswerequitehighincrudeprotein(7.67-16.74%),crudefiber(19.21-26.89%),ash(9.38-12.67%)andlowinetherextract(2.36-5.61%).Theweedshadsufficientcompositionofcalcium,magnesium,potassium,sodiumandphosphorustomeettherequirementforruminants.Theconstituentofiron,copper,zincandmanganesewerefarlessthanrecommendedlevelsrequiredforgrowth,reproductionandmilk.Thenetgasvolume(mL)at48h,metabolisableenergy(MJ/KgDM),shortchainfattyacid(μmol)andorganicmatterdigestibility(%)rangedfrom77-86,11.0-13.6,1.40-1.78and80.3-97.3respectively.ThestudiesshowedthatCleomeviscosahadthebestnutritivevaluefollowedbyEurphorbiahirtawiththeleastfromDiodiascandensandEurphorbiahirta.AlltheselectedweedsmayserveaspotentialsupplementsforruminantsinnorthcentralNigeria.