ABSTRACT

In two separate experiments, the colour, pF, temperature, smell, proximate composition of the

most preferred grass and legume was evaluated, in the first experiment, eight WAD buck

replicated 2 per treatment and aged between 8 and 10 months were used to determine the

intake of the most preferred grasses and legumes which include Pan icum maximum and

pemisetum purperurn for the grasses and centrosema molle and calapogonium mucunoides for

the legumes. The diets were assigned to the animals in a cafeteria method and the most

preferred is P. il'iaxiinum and C inolie. Result shows that except for nitrogen free extract, NFE

and all other values evaluated for the proximate composition were statistically different with

T4being numerically higher (39.90) than other treatment groups, followed by T2 (39.53), T3

(38.45) and T1 (35.45). The most preferred grass legume mixture was ensued in the ratios of

Panicum maximum: C. mo/ic (100:0) P. tnaxmum: C'. molle (75:25), P. maximum: C. mmwlle

(50:50) and P. maximnwn: C,mnolle (25:75) denoted as T1 , T2, T3and T4 respectively were

ensiled for 21 days in 650m1 bama bottles after which the physco-chemical characteristics of

grass legume mixtures were evaluated the result shows a significant difference (P<.0.05) in

values gotten for H of T1 being significantly different (P<.0.05) from that of T2, T3and T4

while T2, T3and T4were statistically similar (P>.0.05). The temperature of T1 is statistically

different (P<.0.05) from others while T3is statistically similar (P>.0.05). The temperature of

T1 is statistically similar (P>.0.05) to T2and T4. T2, T3and T4had a perfect colour for an

ensued grass or legume while T1has a brownish green texture or colour which is not too good

for any ensued forage. The smell and odour gotten from T1 was not pleasant while that of T2,

T3and T4was pleasant. it could be ascertained that by the end of the work, the ensued

P.maximum: C.molle (75:25) was the best both in colour and texture and the animals preferred

Panicum and Centro to the other forages presents to them throughout the feeding trial and the

ensued Panicum and Centro at (7 5:25) ratio were better than others both in colour and texture.