Effects of plant community types on botanical composition and nutritive value of cattle diets
1995
Ngoyawu Mnene, W. | Kibet, P.F.K. (Kenya Agricultural Research Institute, Makindu (Kenya). National Range Research Centre)
Botanical composition and nutritive value of diets selected by heifers from two range sites were contrasted. Diets consisted predominantly of grass and grass-like materials on both sites. 97% was consumed in the Acacia site and 65% in the Cammiphora site. Reduced consumption of grass was compensated for by increased selection of forbs. Dominant grass species in the sites also dominated the diets. Forbs were a preferred class of forage in both sites. Browse was undesirable or rejected in Acacia but selected in proportion to availability in the Cammiphora site. Preference was shown for the leaf fraction of the available forage although differences were noted between sites but not between bush levels. The live forage component was also preferred and it was only affected by bush level in Cammiphora site. Acacia bush rendered in accessible otherwise abundant grass, resulting in poor diet selection. In vitro organic matter digestibility was higher for diets selected from the Cammiphora than for those selected in the Acacia site regardless of bush level. Dietary crude protein was similar for both sites except heavy Acacia bush level which was 20% lower. Greater consumption of forbs and browse did not affect DCP (dietary crude protein)
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