Availability of Browse Plants to Goats Fed with Napier Grass: Voluntary Feed Intake and Effects on Body Weight

Plants with varying level of tannins were offered to goats 4-6 months old fed with napier grass (Pennisetumpurpureum) and palm kernel cake (PKC) -based pellet. Voluntary feed intake (VFI) of offered plants on the 3rd week of feeding was highest for Artocarpusheterophyllus and Leucaenaleucocephala (48 and 36 g/kg0.75 body weight (BW)). Sapiumbaccatum, Brachiariadecumbens, Micaniamicrantha and Musa sp. had VFI of 34, 33, 33 and 31 g/kg0.75 BW respectively whereas VFI for Cyprus kyllinga, Melastomamalabathricum and Dilleniasuffruticosa were amongst the lowest (24, 22 and 20 g/kg0.75 BW respectively). Animals offered with L. leucocephala and A. heterophyllushad increased BW gain (8.8 and 7.9 kg respectively, pless than0.05) whereas M. malabathricum and D. suffruticosafed animals had reduced BW gain (5.6 and 5.8 kg respectively, (pless than0.05)) compared to the BW gain of napier grass fed animals (6.9 kg). A. heterophyllus, L. leucocephala, S. baccatum, C. kyllinga, and M. malabathricumcontain measurable condensed tannin (7.4, 2.6, 6.8, 5.6 and 2.7 mg/gDM respectively) whereas hydrolysable tannin was highest in M. malabathricumand D. suffruticosa (187 and 143 mg/g DM respectively). The use of browse plants containing tannins to manipulateVFI and growth may be beneficial if consumed between 3-7 weeks to avoid cumulative negative effects of plant secondary compounds on BWG.