Digestibility of Ramon (Brosimum alicastrum), Leucaena leucocephala, Buffel Grass (Cenchus Ciliare), Sisal Pulp and Sisal bagasse (Agave fourcroydes)

Five intact male lambs of the Peliquey breed, weighing approximately 35 kg and aged 8 months were used in a 5 x 5 latin square design to determine digestibility and voluntary intake of the following feeds: Ramon, leucaena buffer grass, and sisal pulp and bagasse. Minerals were given with all the feeds and, in addition, the pulp and bagasse were supplemented with urea at the rate of 5 g/kg fresh matter. The experimental periods were of 20 days with collection of faeces and urine during the last five when the animals were in metabolism cages. Voluntary consumption index (kg DM/100 kg live weight/d)differed significantly between feeds with highest values on Ramon and Buffel grass and lowest values on the sisal by-products; mean values were: 5.89, 4.25, 3.66, 2.17 and 2.48 for the five feeds respectively. Dry matter digestibility showed the same overall pattern of differences except that the values for sisal pulp (63.8 percent)were higher than for bagasse (48.9). DM digestibility of leucaena wee 59.7, of Buffel 66.7 and of Ramon 67.1 percent Nitrogen retention was higher for Ramon (16.3 g/d)than for the other feeds (range of 6 to 12 g/d).