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We investigated variation in forage production, in sacco dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) degradations, and in vitro gas production characteristics of four Albizia (A. lebbeck N 864, A. procera N 865, A. saman N 825) and Paraserianthesfalcataria (N 783) provenances obtained from The Nitrogen Fixing Tree Association. After one year of establishment forage production was assessed by harvesting trees at 0.5 m above ground in the main wet (April-August) minorwet (September-November) and dry (December-March) seasons at Ibadan, southwestern Nigeria. Forage samples from the main-wet and dry seasons were incubated for 6, 12, 48, 72 and 96 h in rumen-fistulated cattle to estimate in sacco DM and N degradation characteristics. In vitro gas production was estimated over 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of incubation. Forage production of A. procera was significantly higher than the other species in all seasons. Cell-wall components were comparatively higher in A. procera than the other species. Potential DM and N degradations of A. lebbeck and A. saman were significantly higher than P. falcataria and A. procera. The results suggest that A. lebbeck and A. saman provenances used in this study have relatively higher feed value than A. procera and P. falcataria.

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Millettia thonningii (Schum. & Thonn.) Bak., a nitrogen fixing shrub native to Africa and Albizia lebbeck Benth, were harvested at 0.50 m above ground level after one year of establishment to determine edible forage production. Harvests were made at the end of the main (April-August) and minor (September-November) wet, and dry (December-March) seasons for two years. Dry season edible forage samples were analyzed for concentrations of crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent lignin (ADL), cellulose (CL), soluble phenolics (SOPH) and proanthocyanidins (PAs). In sacco dry matter (DM) and nitrogen (N) degradation and in vitro gas production (GP) characteristics were also determined on dry season edible forage samples. Edible forage production of M. thonningii was significantly lower than A. lebbeck during the wet seasons. Millettia thonningii had relatively lower CP and PAs, but higher NDF, ADF, ADL, CL and SOPH than A. lebbeck. In sacco DM and N degradation and in vitro GP parameters of M. thonningii were significantly lower than A. lebbeck. Parameters of in sacco DM degradation and in vitro GP were highly correlated. Milletia thonningii appeared to be of lower feed value than A. lebbeck based on edible forage production, chemical composition, in sacco DM and N degradation and in vitro GP characteristics.