Abstract
Abstract The production of legumes and grasses are a sustainable strategy to feed ruminants. These species are rich in nutrients which can improve animal health with less treatment. Therefore, the objective of this work was to assess the performance of the middle and edge plants of five legumes and two grasses for morphological traits, fresh and dry matter yields and nutritional potential as feed for ruminants. The collected data were subjected to statistical analysis using R software. The results indicated that very highly significant differences (P<0.001) were observed among the nutritional values, morphological and biomass yield traits except for stem diameter. There was also significant difference(P<0.001) between the edge plants and middle plants. The mean values of the number of leaves and number of stem were higher in the edge plants than in the middle plants for all the seven species. Carbohydrate was the most abundant (42.40), followed by protein (17.81), crude fiber (15.79) and crude fat (7.32). The element analyses of leaf showed N, K, Ca and Mg are suitable for ruminant production in all species. A strong positive correlation was observed among the protein, crude fat and crude fiber compounds. Edge effects were observed showing the highest values when compared to the middle plants. Centrosema pubescens out performed in terms of overall protein, crude fat and crude fiber, while Mucuna pruriens recorded the highest mean value of dry biomass yield. The production of both grasses and legumes, because of their diverse proximate and mineral compositions, constitutes one of the mainstay for sustainable and competitive animal production systems. We recommend ruminant farmers to plant the grasses and legumes at the edges of their farms for sustainable fodder production.
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Claims 12
Claim · model-written summary
The seven forage species differed in nutritional, morphological, and biomass yield traits, excluding stem diameter.
Verbatim
e0“very highly significant differences (P<0.001) were observed among the nutritional values, morphological and biomass yield traits except for stem diameter”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Edge and middle plants differed significantly.
Not reportedDirection
Verbatim
e0“significant difference(P<0.001) between the edge plants and middle plants”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Edge plants had more leaves and stems than middle plants across all seven species.
Verbatim
e0“number of leaves and number of stem were higher in the edge plants than in the middle plants for all the seven species”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Carbohydrate was the most abundant measured feed component.
Verbatim
e0“Carbohydrate was the most abundant (42.40)”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Protein was the next most abundant measured feed component.
Verbatim
e0“Carbohydrate was the most abundant (42.40), followed by protein (17.81)”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Crude fiber followed protein in measured abundance.
Verbatim
e0“protein (17.81), crude fiber (15.79)”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Crude fat had a reported value of 7.32.
Verbatim
e0“crude fat (7.32)”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Leaf N, K, Ca, and Mg were judged suitable for ruminant production across species.
Verbatim
e0“element analyses of leaf showed N, K, Ca and Mg are suitable for ruminant production in all species”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Protein, crude fat, and crude fiber were strongly positively correlated.
Verbatim
e0“A strong positive correlation was observed among the protein, crude fat and crude fiber compounds”
e1“five legumes and two grasses”
Claim · model-written summary
Centrosema pubescens had the best overall protein, crude fat, and crude fiber.
- Taxon
- Centrosema pubescens
Centrosema pubescense0 - Outcome
- overall protein, crude fat and crude fibere0
- Direction
- out performede0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Centrosema pubescens out performed in terms of overall protein, crude fat and crude fiber”
Claim · model-written summary
Mucuna pruriens had the highest mean dry biomass yield.
- Taxon
- Mucuna pruriens
.jpg?width=60)
Mucuna pruriense0 - Outcome
- dry biomass yielde0
- Direction
- higheste0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
.jpg?width=500)
Verbatim
e0“Mucuna pruriens recorded the highest mean value of dry biomass yield”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors recommend planting grasses and legumes on farm edges for sustainable fodder.
Verbatim
e0“We recommend ruminant farmers to plant the grasses and legumes at the edges of their farms for sustainable fodder production”