PROXIMATE AND FIBRE COMPOSITION OF MEGARTHRYSUS MAXIMUS - LEUCAENA LEUCOCEPHALALEAF MEAL AS AFFECTED BY INCLUSION LEVELS OFMORINDA LUCIDA

Abstract

ABSTRACT This study investigates the effects ofMorindalucida(brimstone) leaf powder inclusion levels on proximate and fibre composition of leaf meal made of Megarthrysus maximus (guinea grass) andLeucaenaleucocephala(lead-tree). The experimental design employed was a completely randomized design, incorporating eight treatments combinations with varying percentages of Morindalucida inclusion; M. maximus 100%, M. maximus 70%: L. Leucocephala 30%, M.maximus 70%: L. Leucocephala 25%: M. lucida 5%, M. maximus 70%: L. Leucocephala 20%: M. lucida10%, M. maximus 70%: L. Leucocephala 15%: M. lucida 15%, M. maximus 70%: L.Leucocephala10%: M. lucida 20%, M. maximus 70%: L. Leucocephala 5%: M. lucida 25%, M. maximus 70%: L. Leucocephala 0%: M. lucida 25% into the leaf meal. The analysis focused on proximate compositions: dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, Ash and non-fibre carbohydrate and fibre fractions: neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, acid detergent lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose. All data collected during the experimental period was subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results revealed that the highest DM content was observed in the treatment with 70% M. maximus and 30% L. leucocephala, which suggests thatinclusion of L. leucocephalato M. maximusincreased the DM content. The inclusion of M. lucida tended to reduce CP content, as observed in treatments with higher M. lucida percentages. The highest ether extract content was found in the 70% M. maximus and 30% L. leucocephala treatment, which shows that M. lucida inclusion tends to decrease the EE content due to it lower fat content. Ash content, which indicates mineral content with no significant differences among treatments, suggest that while the inclusion of M. lucida affects other components, it does not significantly (P>0.05) alter the mineral content of the leaf meals. The highest NDF content was observed in the 100% M. maximus treatment. TM2and TM3had a similar (P 0.05) CP, EE, NFC and fibre profile. Therefore, Megathyrsus maximus 70%: L. leucocephala 25%: M. lucida 5% is recommended for its high CP, the lowest ADF, lower ADL and relatively high NDF.