Evaluation of legume and cereal fodders for carbohydrate and protein fractions, nutrient digestibility, energy and forage quality

Abstract

In the present study commonly used 5 legume (berseem, lucerne, desmenthus, lablab and stylosanthes) and 8 cereal (barley green, oat green, guinea grass, wheat straw, paddy straw, pearl millet stover, maize stover and sorghum stover) fodders were evaluated for proximate constituents, fiber contents, carbohydrate and protein fractions besides the in vitro nutrient (DM, CP, NDF and ADF) digestibility. These fodders were also screened for their relative feed value (RFV), relative feed quality (RFQ), rumen degradable protein (RDP) value and energy value. Carbohydrate and protein fraction traits of fodders were utilized in regression equation to predict the RFQ. Concentration of NDF, ADF and cellulose was more (P<0.05) in cereal fodders, while CP and lignin contents were (P<0.05) more in legumes. Carbohydrate soluble fraction (CA ) and rapidly degradable fraction (CB1) were higher (P<0.05) in legume fodders (14.5 and 19.2) than cereals (2.4 and 11.4%). Protein low degradable fraction (PB3) and undegradable fraction (PC ) were significantly (P<0.05) higher in cereals (22.3 and 21.7) than legume fodders (9.5 and 12.6% CP). TDN value varied from 39 to 59% in cereal fodders and 50 to 60% in legume fodders. DMI was high in legumes (1.8-2.9%), while in the cereals it varied from 1.6 to 1.8. Feed quality values as RFV and RFQ varied from 72 to 153 and 74 to 142% in legumes while 47 to 82 and 50 to 85% in cereal fodders. For quality determination, RFQ was correlated with carbohydrate fraction alone and gave R2 value 0.9 while with protein and carbohydrate fraction it gave R2=0.98 (P<0.01). Legumes are good source of total protein, rumen degradable protein and had more nutrients utilization than cereal fodders. Protein and carbohydrate fractions can be utilized to determine the more précised RFQ vales of fodders.