Abstract

MEDINA, María G et al. Ruminant preference for trees, shrub, and herbaceous foliage in the low zone of Trujillo state. Zootecnia Trop. [online]. 2008, vol.26, n.3, pp.201-205. ISSN 0798-7269.

An experiment was carried out in order to determine the preference of cattle, ovines and goats for nine fodder potential species (Acacia spp., Bauhinia cumanensis, Erythrina fusca, Bulnesia arborea, Capparis odoratissima, Cassia alata, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Pentaclethra macroloba and Wedelia aff. caracasana) using a experimental Latin square desing with period of evaluation of nine days in Trujillo state, Venezuela. The foliages were evaluated in terms of the chemical composition (CP, NDF, GE and ash), the concentration of secondary metabolites (phenols, condensed tannins, precipitant tannins and total terpenoids (TT)) and in situ ruminal degradability (DMD and OMD). Statistical differences of nutritional compositor of foliages were observed (P<0.05). Cattle, ovines and goats intake were positively related to each other. The acceptability of cattle was not related to the chemical composition. However, goats preferred the forages with low TT concentrations and ovines preferably consumed foliages with low protein content. No relationship among ruminal degradation and secondary metabolites level was observed. B. cumanensis, H. rosa-sinensis, W. aff. caracasana, E. fusca and P. macroloba exhibited the best results. The evaluation of forages with different types of ruminants allows establishing selection criteria for the implementation of silvopastoril systems.

Keywords : Acceptability; intake; forage; nutritious quality; ovines; cattle; goats.

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