ABSTRACT

In a study, the proximate compositions and fibre fractions of different mixtures of grass-legume silages were evaluated. Fresh Panicum maximum (PM) and Centrosema molle (CM) were cut, wilted, chopped into 2cm lengths and filled into bottles in the following order ofPM:CM; T] (100:0), T2 (75:25), T3 (50:50) and T4 (25:75), repeated three times in a completely randomised design (CRD). The ensiling process lasted for 21 days. Samples of the fresh PM and CM were analysed for proximate compositions and fibre fractions using student’s t-test while the resulting silages were statistically analysed for proximate compositions and fibre fractions in CRD. Results showed that CM was statistically (P<0.05) higher in dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP) and nitrogen free extract (NFE) than the PM. Similarly, PM recorded statistically (P><0.05) higher percentages of ash, ether extract (EE) and crude fibre (CF) than CM. Fibre fractions of Fresh samples showed that neutral detergent fibre (NDF) and hemicellulose values of PM were significantly (P><0.05) higher than those of CM while the acid detergent fibre (ADF) ofCM was higher (P><0.05) than that ofPM. Silage proximate compositions revealed significant (P><0.05) differences in DM, CF and NFE values ofTj, T2, T3 and T4 respectively. The ash value of T3 (12.77) was statistically (P><0.05) higher thanT2 (9.80), T3 (9.20) and T4 (8.50) which were (P>0.05) similar among themselves. The CP value of Tj (9.46) was lower (P<0.05) than values of T2 (17.86), T3 (21.33) and T4 (22.06) which have no significant (P>0.05) difference among themselves. EE values of Tj (1-21) and T2(0.83) were similar (P>0.05) as well as values of T3 (0.11) and T4 (0.08) which showed no significant (P>0.05) difference between themselves. Silage fibre fractions recorded statistically higher (P<0.05) percentages of NDF (77.81) and hemicelluloses (38.45) in Tj (PM:CM;100:0) while the highest (P><0.05)ADF value (49.31) was recorded in T4 (PM:CM;25:75).NDF values ofT2 (75.06) and T3 (73.66) were similar (P>0.05) as well as ADF values of T2 (42.16) and T3 (45.00) which showed no significant (P>0.05) difference. Ensiling CM with PM improved the proximate compositions ofthe silages and reduced the fibre fractions in the original forages. It is therefore recommended to ensile legumes with grasses to obtain fairly stable feed for ruminants during periods of scarcity of fresh forages. Grass legume mixture reduced fibre fragments and increased nutrient profiles which imply better animal performance.