Nutritive value of selected indigenous legumes for livestock feed in Namibia
Abstract
216 words
The study was conducted to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of five indigenous legumes
compared against Lucerne as potential livestock fodder. Samples of the five legumes
(Indigofera cryptantha, Rhynchosia totta, Medicago laciniata, Otoptera burchellii,
and Senna italica) were obtained from Omaheke and Khomas regions of Namibia during
January-April 2012, air-dried and ground through a 3 mm sieve. Lucerne (Medicago sativa)
samples were obtained from Neudamm campus, Namibia for comparison. Duplicate samples
of the six legumes were analysed for crude protein (CP), Neutral Detergent Fibre (NDF)
and digestibility. The CP (%) for I. cryptantha, R. totta, M. laciniata, O. burchellii, S.
Italica and M. sativa were 30.4 ± 0.1, 31.3 ± 0.1, 26.4 ± 0.1, 32.2 ± 0.1, 29.5 ± 0.1, and 26.0
± 0.1, respectively. The respective NDF (%) levels were 25.0 ± 0.2, 36.1 ± 0.2, 28.7 ± 0.2,
32.8 ± 0.2, and 26.5 ± 0.2, and 40.2 ± 0.2. The in vitro digestibility percentages were 65.7
± 0.1, 46.7 ± 0.1, 83.1 ± 0.1, 77.0 ± 0.1, 49.6 ± 0.1 and 65.6 ± 0.1, respectively. Based on
these preliminary analyses and potential biomass production, I. cryptantha and O. burchellii
are comparable to M. sativa and warrant further analyses for anti-nutrients and persistence
so as to assess their role as alternatives for improving performance of ruminants.
Subjects
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