Effect of Diet Inclusion of Tropical Fodder Trees on Digestibility in Hair Lambs

The objective of this study was to determine the apparent digestibility of diets based on Dichanthium aristatum and tropical fodder trees. The experiment was carried at Las Brisas Farm of the University of Tolima – Colombia. Twelve hair lambs (22 ± 2,5) were housed individually in digestion crates in 4 x 4 Latin square design. Each period consisted with 14 d of adaptation and 5 d of sample collection. Treatments were: T1= 100% D. aristatum, T2= 50% D. aristatum, 25% Guazuma ulmifolia and 25% rice bran; T3= 50% D. aristatum, 25% Gliricidia sepium and 25% rice bran and T4= 50% D. aristatum, 25% Tithonia diversifolia and 25% rice bran. Tropical tree fodder, rice bran and hay were supplied in total mixed ration twice daily ad libitum. Feeds, orts and feces were collected daily before morning feed during the collection period. Data were analyzed using the PROC MIXED of SAS. It was observed that intake of nutrients were positively affected by the supplementing tree fodder (p <0.0001). Digestibility of dry matter were affected by treatments, T1, T2, T3 and T4, showed values of 45%, 56%; 61% and 62% respectively. Protein digestibility was greater (p< 0.05) for T3 (60%) and T4 (59%), respectively. Protein fraction B3 was higher for T2 (80%), T3 (84%) and T4 (71%). It was concluded that supplementation with tropical fodder trees in hair lambs, is an interesting strategy to increase the intake and digestibility of nutrients, contributing to the improvement of performance and mitigate the negative effect of dry season.