CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF SOME SELECTED PLANTS USED AS FEED FOR RUMINANTS AT ODORAGUSHIN OF EPE LOCAL GOVERNMENT, LAGOS STATE

Abstract

 A study was conducted to evaluate the chemical composition of Sandocrium kotjape, Andropogon gayanus, Malosma laurina, Commelina benghalensis and Manihot esculenta. The resulting products were collected, sun dried and kept in a polythene bag for further investigation. Samples were investigated for proximate composition and crude fibre fractions. Results obtained showed that there were significant differences in proximate composition with crude protein (CP) ranging from 9.74 in Malosma laurina to 22.43% in Manihot esculenta. The content of the neutral detergent fibre (NDF) differed significantly (P<0.05) with values ranging from 64.97 in Sandocrium kotjape to 73.22% in Andropogon gayanus. Significant (P<0.05) highest value of 28.40% was obtained for cellulose in Commelina benghalensis. The study concluded that the selected plants evaluated had high crude protein contents which would make them good protein supplement to poor quality feeds particularly during periods of feed scarcity.