Department of Animal Sciences, Jimma University, P.O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia
Yisehak, K., Department of Animal Sciences, Jimma University, P.O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia; Belay, D., Department of Animal Sciences, Jimma University, P.O. Box 307, Jimma, Ethiopia
The study was conducted to assess nutritional quality of Albizia gummifera (J.F. Gmel) C.A.Sm., a multipurpose tree indigenous to Ethiopia, influenced to altitude and season at hot humid tropical climatic condition. SAS version 9.1 was used for data analysis. Albizia gummifera leaf was examined for their chemical components, in vitro organic matter digestibility, digestible nutrients and dietary energy values. On DM basis, analytical results ranged between 108 to 308gCPkg-\ 367 to 396 gNDF kg 1, 283 to 313 g ADF kg 1, 68 to 72 g CT kg 1 DM, 379.8 to 430 g IVDMD kg 1, 492.5 to 683.5 g CHO kg 1, 6.1 to 6.9 MJ ME kg 1, 9.4 to 28.3 g DCP kg 1 7.02 to 8.2 g DE kg 1 and 400.4 to 460.3 g TDN kg 1. Effects of altitudes and seasons had showed a wide significant variation among many nutritive value parameters studied (p<0.05). Significantly higher CP, IVDMD and DCP contents were recorded for the higher altitude region and wet season (p<0.05). A negative correlation was observed between CT and CP, IVDMD energy values and TDN. The altitude-seas on interaction had a significant effect on most of the parameters (p<0.01). The nutrient concentrations already suggest that A. gummifera have a clear potential for being used as sustainable feed resources in wide locations on top of seasons that can maintain normal rumen microbial metabolism and to supply the quantities and balances of nutrients for different productive states in the tropics. © 2011 Academic Journals Inc.