Title: Proximate Composition, Anti-Nutrients and Crude Fibre Fractions of Selected Leaves Fed to Ruminants
Abstract: This study was carried out to determine the chemical composition of leaves namely: pineapple (Ananascomosus), cabbage (Brassicaoleraceae) (waste), carrot (Daucuscarota), pawpaw (Caricapapaya), orange (Citrussinensis), mango (Magniferaindica) and avocado (Persea americana) leaves fed to ruminants by local livestock farmers.All parameters under proximate analysis were significantly affected (P<0.05),all parameters for anti-nutrients except phytate were significantly affected (P<0.05).Likewise, all parameters for crude fibre fractions except cellulose and Acid detergent lignin (ADL) were significantly affected (P<0.05).Dry matter ranged from 95.36% (orange leaves) -96.36% (cabbage waste).Pawpaw leaves had the least ash value of 14.05% while orange leaves had the highest ash value of 16.63%.Lipid ranged from 2.67% (carrot leaves) -3.87% (avocado leaves), protein: 26.56% (pineapple leaves) -27.11% (cabbage waste), fibre: 6.04% (cabbage waste) -7.91% (orange leaves) and carbohydrate from 40.495% (orange leaves) -46.10% (cabbage waste).For anti-nutrients, saponin ranged from 0.67% (pawpaw leaves) -2.13% (orange leaves), tannin: 5.11% (pineapple leaves) -7.22% (cabbage waste),phytate: 0.003mg/100g (carrot leaves) -0.006mg/100g (pineapple leaves), oxalate: 0.87% (pawpaw leaves) -2.41% (pineapple leaves), and flavonoid from 3.57% (pineapple leaves) -4.26% (orange leaves).For crude fibre fractions, cellulose ranged from 10.75% (carrot leaves) -11.68% (pineapple leaves), hemicellulose: 7.75% (pawpaw leaves) -9.11% (pineapple leaves), NDF: 10.67% (pineapple leaves) -11.73% (avocado leaves), ADF: 7.14% (pineapple leaves) -8.45% (orange leaves) and ADL from 1.71% (cabbage leaves) -2.22% (mango leaves).Experimental results proved positive, thus selected leaves can be incorporated into ruminants' diet (and as supplementary feeding) during periods of scarcity.This reduces cost and high competition for conventional feedstuffs between man and ruminants.