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The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritive value and anti-nutrient contents of Lablab purpureus (Lablab) and Vigna unguiculata (cowpea) and their effects on methane production in goats. Legume forages were grown and harvested at three stages of growth of pre-anthesis, anthesis, and post anthesis. Samples were collected at each stage and examined for proximate composition, total phenolics, condensed tannins, and saponins using standard methods. Hay was harvested at the anthesis stage and used in a growth study to evaluate the effects of forage legumes on methane production. Eighteen one-yearold goats, nine males and nine females, were used in the feeding trial. The goats were subjected to three treatment diets with six goats in each treatment, representing both sexes equally, for 60 days in a complete randomized design. Methane was measured with a laser methane detector (LMD). Cowpea showed higher ash (13.11%), acid detergent fibre (ADF) (38.42%), and crude protein (CP) (20.23%) than Lablab, which had values of 11.45 %, 36.17%, and 19%, for ash, ADF, and CP, respectively. Lablab had significantly higher fat content (2.41%), neutral detergent fibre (NDF) (49.27%), and hemicellulose (13.07%) than cowpea (2.1%, 46.91%, and 8.48%, respectively). The tannin, phenolic, and saponin content were influenced significantly by forage species and stage of growth. The diet and sex of the animal affected enteric methane production significantly. Forage legumes met animal requirements for fat, ADF, NDF, and CP. The energy and tannin levels of forage legumes were shown to reduce enteric methane production in goats.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of forage legume diets on haematological and biochemical indices of Xhosa goats. Eighteen animals, one-year-old, of average live weight 14.13 ± 0.24 kg were assigned, in a completely randomized design, to three treatment diets. Animals were housed individually and sex was equally represented among treatments with 6 animals per treatment. Weights and blood samples were taken every fortnight. A pair of blood samples (5 ml each) were collected from each goat, via jugular vein puncture and were subjected to either haematological or biochemical analysis. The results show that treatment diets and sex significantly ( P < 0.05) affected DMI, total gain, ADG, and feed conversion ratio. Treatment diets and sex had no effects ( P > 0.05) on serum total proteins, globulins, urea, creatinine, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and gamma- glutamyl transferase concentrations. The diet influenced albumin was ( P < 0.05) while sex influenced ALP concentration ( P < 0.05). Measured over time, the plasma concentration of urea and ALP significantly increased ( P < 0.05) while creatinine and cholesterol concentration decreased ( P < 0.05). Although the overall blood biochemical properties remain unchanged among the treatments and between sexes; treatment by sex, treatment by day and sex by day interactions were significant ( P < 0.05). The white blood cells, red blood cell, mean corpuscular haemoglobin, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, haemoglobin, haematocrit, and platelet and mean platelet volume levels were similar among treatments and between sexes ( P > 0.05). The mean cell volume and red cell distribution width were different among treatments ( P < 0.05). Treatment diets significantly ( P < 0.05) influenced neutrophil (%) content while sex influenced basophile (%) content. In conclusion forage legumes did not cause toxicity in goats or any pathological condition.

The objective of this study was to assess utilization levels, availability, nutritional value, and magnitude of sales by vendors ofDioscorea steriscusby residents of Bindura. A multistage sampling procedure was used to select respondents. Data were subjected to Chi-square, logistic regression, and correlation to determine the effects of demographic determinants on utilization ofD. steriscus. Questionnaires were used to collect data. Results show that education status and period of stay significantly affect the consumption ofD. steriscus(P<0.05). It was also observed that consumption is frequent between lunch and supper (47%) compared to breakfast.D. steriscushas high iron (6.8%), ash (2.06%), and CF (16.8%) contents but it is low in protein (0.83%). Irrespective of gender of respondent, suburb of residence, size of family, period of stay, education level, employment status, and source of income, respondents will growD. steriscusfor use as food supplement (odds ratio = 0.475). The period of stay (r=0.08) and education level (r=0.08) positively affect the growing ofD. steriscus.D. steriscuscan be used as source of energy and can also be used possibly for medicinal purposes. Further study is required on possibility of phytochemicals and cytotoxic components to justify its use.

Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries consist of ~200 million livestock owners who utilise marginal rangelands as a feed resource base for their animals. These rangelands offer various resources to the communities and are in-turn vulnerable to climate change related challenges. Currently, information on greenhouse gases (GHG) emission from SSA rangelands is heavily dependent on the generic values generated by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Tier I trajectories on various aspects of the environment. There is, therefore, a need to identify research gaps between the dynamics and influences of environmental components, highlight their magnitude and potential aggregate contribution towards GHG emission in an SSA context. Rangeland sustainability, weather patterns, soils, plant biodiversity, and current methods used to measure GHG emission from rangelands are influenced by institutional, community, and national policy frameworks. Various intertwined environmental components exist within the SSA rangeland ecosystems and research has not extensively covered such interactions. It is crucial to generate a database that includes information of in-situ trajectories on GHG emission from soil properties, vegetation image maps using remote sensing and geographic information system, plant biodiversity indices, climatology, and animal husbandry aspects.

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