Silage Mineral Composition as Influenced by Browse Species and Ensiling Time for Goat Feeding.

Abstract

This study investigated the macro-mineral composition of silage as influenced by four (4) browse species viz Gmelina arborea (Ga), Gliricidia sepium (Gs), Azadirachta indica (Ai) and Leucaena leucocephala (Li ) and four(4) sampling times ( 0,30,60,90 days after ensiling)in a randomized complete block design .The browses leaves with ground maize (ratio 9 leaves: 1 ground maize w/w) each was ensiled in a drum of 30 kilogram capacity for Ninety (90) days and samplings from top, middle and bottom as three (3) replicates were done for (%) DM, Calcium, Phosphorus, Sodium, Magnesium, Potassium, Sulphur and Nitrogen analysis. Gs (38.31,3.89 ) and 0d (32.37, 3.89) had highest DM and N respectively. .But Li ( 0.51 , 0.35 , 0.36, 0.37 , 1.72 and 0.25) and 0d ( 0,43,0.36, 0.33,0.34,1.30 and 0.22) recorded highest Ca, P, Na, Mg, K, and S respectively while Gs also had 0.37 Mg .Li and 0day were superior to others The values obtained in this study are within normal range of goats' minerals requirement. Hence the feed resources can be sole fed as established by some previous workers, though occasional presence of antinutrients and elemental antagonistic interaction cannot be overlooked.