ABSTRACT

A 14 days trial was carried to determine the proximate composition and preference of two grasses (Pennisetum purpureum, Panicum maiximum) and two legumes (Centrosema molle, Calapogonium mucunodies). Eight (8) West African Dwarf (WAD) bucks weighing 15-22kg and aged 8-12 months were used for this study. Completely randomized design was used where the four forages formed the treatment and the (8) buckes formed the replicates. Such WAD buck was confined in individual pens and the four forages offered to each of the bucks daily tied in a caffetarian method as follows A (TI) Centrosema molle B (T2) Calapogonium mucunoides, C (T3) Pennisetum purpureum, D (T4) Panicum maximum. The animals were fed at 3% of their body weight, parameters measured include; proximate composition of the forages, weight of the animals, animals preference of the forages, the weight gain and feed intake. Results obtained revealed a dry matter (DM) content of 68.43-77.64. Similar DM was obtained in the grasses which differed significantly (P<0.05) from that gotten from the legumes. There were significant differences (P><0.05) among all treatment means in the proximate fractions. CP ranged 13.78 gotten from (P. maximum) 29.76 gotten from (C. molle) were obtained from this study. Neutral detergent fibre of 89.70, 93.50, 89.85 and 70.55 were gotten from P.maximum, P.purpureum, Centrosema molle and Calapogonium mucunoides respectively. Among the grasses P.maximum appeared more preferred (1.10) compared to P. purpureum (0.96) while C.molle as higher than C.mucunodies in this trial.The study has shown that the grasses (Panicum maximum and pennisetum purpureum) and the legumes (Centrosema molle and Calapogonium mucunoides) are prospective forages for ruminants in the dry season. The proximate composition suggests that the selected legumes could be practical protein supplements. However, the coefficient of preference demonstrated that Panicum maximum and Centrosema molle appear to be more accepted by the WAD bucks than Pennisetum purpureum and Calapogonium mucunoides were. ><0.05) from that gotten from the legumes. There were significant differences (P<0.05) among all treatment means in the proximate fractions. CP ranged 13.78 gotten from (P. maximum) 29.76 gotten from (C. molle) were obtained from this study. Neutral detergent fibre of 89.70, 93.50, 89.85 and 70.55 were gotten from P.maximum, P.purpureum, Centrosema molle and Calapogonium mucunoides respectively. Among the grasses P.maximum appeared more preferred (1.10) compared to P. purpureum (0.96) while C.molle as higher than C.mucunodies in this trial.The study has shown that the grasses (Panicum maximum and pennisetum purpureum) and the legumes (Centrosema molle and Calapogonium mucunoides) are prospective forages for ruminants in the dry season. The proximate composition suggests that the selected legumes could be practical protein supplements. However, the coefficient of preference demonstrated that Panicum maximum and Centrosema molle appear to be more accepted by the WAD bucks than Pennisetum purpureum and Calapogonium mucunoides were. ><0.05) among all treatment means in the proximate fractions. CP ranged 13.78 gotten from (P. maximum) 29.76 gotten from (C. molle) were obtained from this study. Neutral detergent fibre of 89.70, 93.50, 89.85 and 70.55 were gotten from P.maximum, P.purpureum, Centrosema molle and Calapogonium mucunoides respectively. Among the grasses P.maximum appeared more preferred (1.10) compared to P. purpureum (0.96) while C.molle as higher than C.mucunodies in this trial.The study has shown that the grasses (Panicum maximum and pennisetum purpureum) and the legumes (Centrosema molle and Calapogonium mucunoides) are prospective forages for ruminants in the dry season. The proximate composition suggests that the selected legumes could be practical protein supplements. However, the coefficient of preference demonstrated that Panicum maximum and Centrosema molle appear to be more accepted by the WAD bucks than Pennisetum purpureum and Calapogonium mucunoides were.