Comparative nutritional evaluation of the leaves of selected plants from the Poaceae family (bamboos and grasses) for sustainable livestock production in Ghana

Abstract

BackgroundSustainable animal feeding is essential for reducing poverty among Ghanaian smallholder livestock farmers. However, seasonality has a severe impact on the availability and quality of conventional animal feedstuffs, necessitating alternate feed sources.ObjectiveThis study evaluated and compared the nutritional characteristics of the leaves of three bamboo species namely; Bambusa balcooa (Beema), Oxytenanthera abyssinica (A. Rich.) Munro and Bambusa vulgaris; and three conventional types of grass, namely; Cenchrus purpureus, Megathyrsus maximus, and Brachiaria decumbens.Materials and methodsThe plant biomasses were subjected to the standard analytical procedures of proximate and detergent fiber systems to highlight their dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether extract (EE), ash, nitrogen-free extract (NFE), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL). Other nutritional characteristics were estimated using the chemical compositions.Statistical analysisData was analyzed using Generalized Linear Model procedures in Minitab Statistical Software at a 5% significant level.ResultsResults showed a significantly (P < 0.05) higher DM (~918 g/kgDM), CP (~153 g/kgDM), and EE (~153 g/kgDM) in B. vulgaris leaves. O. abyssinica leaves had the maximum ash (~139 g/kgDM) while those of M. maximus had the highest carbohydrate (~709 g/kgDM) and CF (~492 g/kgDM). Compared to the grasses, the bamboo had a higher pool of DM (~910 vs. 836 g/kgDM), CP (~133 vs. 75 g/kgDM), EE (~137 vs. 82 g/kgDM), ash (~134 vs. 89 g/kgDM), hemicellulose (~79 vs. 28 g/kgDM), dry matter intake (~25 vs. 24%), digestible dry matter (~58 vs. 53%), and relative feed value (~111 vs. 105). In contrast, the grasses had higher mean ADF (~461 vs. 402 g/kgDM), cellulose (~417 vs. 397 g/kgDM), and ADL (~5 vs. 0.4 g/kgDM).ConclusionThe study suggests that bamboo leaves could have high nutritional characteristics to supplement or even replace conventional grasses and other crop residues in the diets of ruminants, especially during the dry season.

Toward smallholder bamboo-integrated agro-silvopastoral systems in sub-Saharan Africa: assessing the impact of bamboo leaves on consumption pattern, growth performance and manure characteristics of West African dwarf goats

“…Moringa oleifera, Terminalia catappa, Mangifera indica, and Blighia sapida. Similar findings to these were reported in a study conducted within the same geographic region (Sasu et al, 2023a;Sasu et al, 2023b).…”

“…Within the scope of this study, the two bamboo species, O. abyssinica and B. balcooa, exhibited distinctive nutritional traits, as previously noted in related investigations (Sasu et al, 2022;Sasu et al, 2023a;Sasu et al, 2023b). Notably, both bamboo species demonstrated higher levels of crude protein (CP) than their grass counterpart, M. maximus.…”

“…(Poudyal, 1993;Bhandari et al, 2015), which reinforce the fact that bamboo has the potential to boost animal wellbeing and productivity. Extensive documentation by various researchers (Artabandhu et al, 2010;Sahoo et al, 2010;Andriarimalala et al, 2019;Kitaw et al, 2022;Sasu et al, 2022;Sasu et al, 2023a;Sasu et al, 2023b) supports this assertion. Notwithstanding, it is important to recognize that bamboo fodder is most effective when incorporated as a supplement within various forage blends and/or alongside concentrates.…”

“…Extensive research on using bamboo leaves as livestock food has consistently shown that they are rich in nutrients. These studies suggest that bamboo leaves can effectively meet the nutritional needs of animals that consume them (Artabandhu et al, 2010;Sahoo et al, 2010;Andriarimalala et al, 2019;Kitaw et al, 2022;Sasu et al, 2022;Sasu et al, 2023a, Sasu et al, 2023b.…”

“…In harmony with this selective dietary preference, bamboo emerges as a promising candidate for optimal fodder provision. The nutrientdense leaves it yields resonate with the discerning appetites of these animals, offering the potential to enhance their wellbeing and productivity (Sasu et al, 2023b). Extensive research on using bamboo leaves as livestock food has consistently shown that they are rich in nutrients.…”