Short note chemical composition and rumen degradation characteristics of six Calliandra calothyrsus provenances.

Published Article,The chemical composition and rumen degradation characteristics of six Calliandra calothyrsus provenances were determined. The six provenances were selected on the basis of their good browse and seed production attributes under Zimbabwean conditions. The six provenances were: Oxford Forestry Institute (OFI) 9/89, OFI 10/91, OFI 11/91, OFI 12/91, OFI 23/91 and OFI 62/91. The nitrogen content of the provenances ranged from 27.15 to 32.51 g/kg DM with provenance 62/91 having the highest value while provenance 9/89 had the lowest value. The provenances differed in nitrogen content with 9/89, 10/91 and 23/91 being significantly different (P<0.05) from 12/91 and 62/91, while the acid detergent fibre and the neutral detergent fibre content showed significant differences between provenances 9/89, 62/91 and 11/91.The proanthocyanidins content of the provenances ranged from 29.3 g/kg DM to 56.0 g/kg DM with provenance 9/89 being significantly (P<0.05) different from the other provenances. The rumen dry matter degradability of the six C. calothyrsus provenances differed significantly (P< 0.05) with provenances 9/89, 10/91, 12/91 and 62/91 having different quickly degradable fractions from provenances 11/91 and 23/91. The potential degradability ranged from 790.4 g/kg DM to 890.9 g/kg DM, with the rate of degradation varying from 0.002h-1 in provenance 10/91 to 0.012h-1 in provenance 12/91 while the effective degradability ranged from 250 to 411.1 g/kg (2% passage rate) and 203.3 to 308.4 g/kg (5% passage rate) and differed significantly. The nitrogen degradability of the six C. calothyrsus provenances also differed significantly (P< 0.05). The quickly degradable fraction ranged from 195.8 g/kg N in provenance 62/91 to 235.0 g/kg N in provenance 23/91, while the potential degradability was between 782.2 g/kg N and 888.2 g/kg N. The rate of degradation varied from 0.005h-1 in provenance 62/91 to 0.012h-1 in provenance 10/91 with the effective degradability ranging from 195.6 to 399.3 g/kg (2% passage rate) and from 179.2 to 361.3 g/kg (5% passage rate). The six provenances had adequate nitrogen contents and were moderately degradable in the rumen suggesting that they were suitable for incorporation into ruminant diets as supplements to low quality forage. However, the high proanthocyanidin levels could affect their use by ruminants