Chemical composition, in vitro dry matter digestibility and ruminal degradation of Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum (L.) Schumach.) mixed with different levels of Sesbania sesban (L.) Merr.

An experiment to assess the effect of different levels of Sesbania leaves on chemical composition, in vitro dry matter (DM) digestibility (IVDMD), in sacco rumen DM degradability (DMD), organic matter degradability (OMD) and crude protein (CP) degradability (CPD) of Napier grass-Sesbania mixtures was conducted. There were four Napier-Sesbania mixtures (100, 150, 200 and 250 g/kg of Sesbania on a DM basis) and Napier grass only (control) in a randomised complete block design. As the proportion of Sesbania increased in the mixture, there was an increase in CP, Ca and metabolizable energy, and a reduction in P, neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose and hemicellulose contents. The DMD, OMD, CPD and IVDMD increased as the proportion of Sesbania leaves increased. Results indicate that different levels of Sesbania forages have desirable characteristics as a potential feed supplement to improve the utilization of Napier grass to ruminant animals under tropical condition. Moreover, it could be concluded that nutrient content, IVDMD and ruminal DMD, OMD and CPD can be enhanced by feeding Sesbania with Napier grass, and it can be used in diet mixtures up to 250 g/kg of the DM fed. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.