Effect of method of preservation on the chemical composition of Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves

Abstract

Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves are less acceptable by ruminants due to their high contents of anti-nutritional factors. The effect of preserving Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves as hay and silage or silage: hay combinations on the proximate, fibre fractions, anti-nutritional factors, minerals and vitamins compositions were investigated in this study. Six experimental treatments consisting of 100% fresh Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves, 100% ensiled Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves, 100% sun dried Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves, 75% silage: 25% hay, 50% silage: 50% hay and 25% silage: 75% hay were formulated. Each treatment was replicated 3 times and analyzed for chemical composition. The crude protein content ranged from 14.70 – 22.05%, which significantly differed (p<0.05) across treatments with the highest value in the fresh leaves. The values for neutral detergent fibre ranged from 56.64 – 57.92 %, acid detergent fibre from 37.14 – 39.87 % and acid detergent lignin from 13.30 – 14.96 %, they all differed significantly (p<0.05) across treatments with highest values in the 100% ensiled treatment. Preservation as silage significantly (p<0.05) reduced the concentrations of tannin, phytate and hydrocyanic acid, while preservation as hay significantly (p<0.05) reduced the concentration of saponin. The mineral contents of the EC leaves preserved as silage, hay and silage: hay combinations (Treatments 2 - 6) compared favourably with the mineral contents of the fresh leaves (Treatment 1). Preserved EC leaves (Treatments 2 – 6) had significantly (p<0.05) higher concentrations of vitamin C (444.21 –657.60 mg/100g) than the fresh leaves (308.79mg/100g). Thus preservation of E. cyclocarpum leaves as silage or hay improved its chemical composition and reduced its contents of anti-nutritional factors.

Evaluation of growth, carcass and meat sensory characteristics of West African Dwarf bucks fed dietary Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves

“…Tannin contents were lowest (13.73 mg/100g) in the control diet and increased (24.02, 28.93 and 29.71 mg/100g) significantly (p<0.05) in diets 2, 3 and 4, respectively with increased EC leaves in the diet. Tannic contents obtained in this study were higher than the range of 3.11 to 10.31 mg/100g reported by Bassey et al (2014) for Rauvolfia vomitoria>Palisota hirsute>Manniophytonfulvum>Spondiasmombin but lower than the 93.40 mg/100g reported by Ekanem et al (2020b) for fresh EC leaves. High contents of tannin obtained in this study corroborates the high concentration (+++) of tannins reported by Galindo et al (2014) for Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves.…”

“…Values for oxalate obtained in this study were lower than the range of 202.40 to 598.40 mg/100 reported for Rauvolfia vomitoria>Palisota hirsute>Manniophyton fulvum>Spondias mombin found in Akwa Ibom State. Similarly, concentration of oxalic acid in the diet were lower than the value of 450.21 mg/100g reported by Ekanem et al (2020b) for fresh EC leaves. Phytic acid concentration obtained in this study ranged from 6.60 to 7.49 mg/100g.…”

“…Low ADL values (16.38 to 17.38%) were obtained across dietary treatments. The high NDF and low ADL will make the feed easily digestible (Ekanem et al, 2020b). Table 4 shows the anti-nutritional factors (mg/100g) of concentrate diet containing graded levels of Enterolobium cyclocarpum leaves fed the WAD goats.…”

“…However, like many other browse plants, EC contains secondary metabolites (anti-nutritional factors) which have beneficial and detrimental effects on the plants and on animals consuming them (Babayemi, 2006;Crozier et al, 2006;Ekanem et al, 2020a;Ekanem et al, 2020b). Some of these anti-nutritional factors (ANFs) affect the activities of microbes in the rumen, increasing bacterial proteins and overall nutrients flow and digestibility to the duodenum for subsequent absorption by the ruminant (Koenig et al, 2007;Isah et al, 2011;Idowu et al, 2013).…”