Fodder value of three browse forage species for growing goats

The study evaluated the effects of ad libitum feeding of foliages of Afzelia africana, Daniellia oliveri and Entada africana supplemented with concentrate in twenty-four intact growing bucks (6 mo old, live weight (LW) 7.30 ± 0.1 kg). Goats were divided into three equal groups of similar LW in a complete randomized design. Intakes of forage, dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), nitrogen, organic matter (OM) and digestible crude protein (DCP), average daily gain, digestibilities of DM and CP, DCP, N retention, ruminal fluid acetate, and serum urea N, albumin and globulin were greater (P < 0.05; 0.01) in Afzelia or Daniellia vs. Entada. Digestible energy (DE) to DCP ratio was lower (P < 0.01) in Afzelia or Daniellia vs. Entada and in Afzelia vs. Daniellia. Digestibility of OM, digestible OM, energy, microbial protein synthesis, ruminal volatile fatty acids and serum total protein were superior (P < 0.05) in Afzelia vs. Entada and in Daniellia vs. Entada (P < 0.01). Digestibility of fibre fractions and ruminal NH3-N was lower (P < 0.05; 0.01) for Entada relative to Afzelia and Daniellia. Whereas ruminal fluid propionate was higher (P < 0.05; 0.01) for Daniellia compared to Afzelia or Entada, the acetate to propionate ratio was lower (P < 0.05; 0.01) in Daniellia than in Afzelia or Entada. Methane production was higher (P < 0.05) for Afzelia than for Daniellia or Entada. Serum glucose was greater in Daniellia than Afzelia (P < 0.05), in Afzelia than Entada (P < 0.05) and in Daniellia than Entada (P < 0.01). Results suggest Daniellia as an alternative fodder for Afzelia and indicate higher feeding value of Afzelia and Daniellia for feeding growing goats compared to Entada.