| Title |
Quality of wild herbaceous legumes and its role in livestock nutrition (SASSCAL Book, Biodiversity & Ecology 6) |
? |
| Author |
Othusitse Ricky Madibela, Diphetogo Kemiso and Jonas Kwedibana |
? |
| Abstract |
Climate change in southern Africa is predicted to be severe, and animal agriculture will suffer the most. However, there exist wild legumes that have survived under harsh environmental conditions and contribute to a varied diet for the grazing ungulates. This study tested the chemical composition of four wild herbaceous legumes each from Tswapong and Ngamiland districts in Botswana (Chamaecrista abscus, Chamaecrista rotundifolia, Crotalaria sphaerocarpa, Tephrosia lupinifolia, Tephrosia purpurea, Indigofera sp., Zornia glochidiata.). These plant species were previously found to fix nitrogen in the soil by the SASSCAL research Task 316, and the plant selection was also guided by informed focus discussions with farmers. For Tswapong the results show that C. rotundifolia and T. purpurea had the highest level of crude protein (CP) while Z. glochidiata had the least CP. In vitro gas production showed high gas yield for Z. glochidiata, and a small volume of gas was produced by T. lupinifolia. Condensed tannins (CT) were higher for Z. glochidiata and C. rotundifolia but lower for T. purpurea and T. lupinifolia. CT were at similar concentration for C. rotundifolia and Z. glochidiata. No relationship was detected between condensed tannins and crude protein. With regard to samples from Ngamiland, there was no differences among plant species for acid detergent fibre (ADF), whereas other parameters measured were significantly different among the legume plants. Indigofera sp. had the highest CP, while Crotalaria sphaerocarpa had the lowest. In general, levels of crude protein were different among the legumes investigated but overall were higher than in natural grass, indicating their importance in providing protein to grazing ungulates in rangelands. Their high protein content also suggests the plants? potential as protein supplements if domesticated as fodder crops. However, palatability, toxicity, and intake should be tested in future studies before any recommendations are made. |
? |
| Citation |
Madibela, O.R., Kemiso, D. & Kwedibana, J. (2018) Quality of wild herbaceous legumes and its role in livestock nutrition In: Climate change and adaptive land management in southern Africa – assessments, changes, challenges, and solutions (ed. by Revermann, R., Krewenka, K.M., Schmiedel, U., Olwoch, J.M., Helmschrot, J. & Jürgens, N.), pp. 202-206, Biodiversity & Ecology, 6, Klaus Hess Publishers, Göttingen & Windhoek. doi:10.7809/b-e.00325 |
? |
| DOI |
10.7809/b-e.00325 |
? |
