The Nutritive Value of Some Plants Browsed by Cattle in Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria

Seventeen browse plants eaten by cattle in Umudike, Abia State of Nigeria were subjected to nutritional evaluation. The plants were classified into heavily, moderately and occasionally browsed species based on their frequency of browsing by cattle. The highest and the lowest crude protein (CP) values were obtained in Napoleona vogelii (25.55%) and Grewia pubescens (13.65%), respectively. Average CP was highest in the occasionally browsed species (18.62%) and lowest in heavily browsed plants (17.92%). The corresponding value for the moderately browsed plants was 18.35%. The calculated in vitro organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) was highest for the heavily browsed (51.32%) plants while the occasionally browsed species had the lowest value (48.69%). Generally, browses contained higher concentration of calcium than phosphorous. The average calcium content of the heavily browsed (1.57%) plants was higher than values obtained for either the moderately (1.38%) or the occasionally browsed plants (1.45%), Phosphorous concentration was however, slightly higher in the moderately browsed species (0.39%) than in either the heavily or the occasionally browsed (0.37%) plants. The digestible crude protein (DCP) followed similar pattern with CP and ranged from 9.17% in Grewia pubescens to 20.24% in Napoleona vogelii. The highest mean DCP was obtained from the occasionally browsed plants (13.78%). The acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) values were 48.05, 55.62% for the heavily, 41.60, 48.21% for the moderately and 48.65, 46.75% for the occasionally browsed plants, respectively. CP and DCP content of browse did not necessarily influence browsing intensity or behaviour in cattle.