Effect of Processing Techniques on the Degradability Characteristics of Acacia Acacia hockii) Leaf

This experiment was conducted at the Federal University Dutsin-ma Livestock Teaching and Research Farm in Dutsin-ma Local Government area of Katsina State, Nigeria. The study was meant to ascertain the effect of processing techniques on crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) degradation characteristics of three differently processed Acacia hockii leaf meal (ensiled (T1), sun dried (T2) and fresh (T30) incubated in the rumen of five rams at 3, 6, 12, 24 and 48hrs. Acacia hockii leaves were collected from Dutsin-ma town and used in the experiment as as fresh leaves, sun-dried and ensiled. Five rams with average live weight of 20kg were fistulated and used as replicates in a completely randomized design (CRD). They were fed with groundnut haulms, maize offal and cowpea husk in ad libitum at a ratio of 70%:30% respectively along with other management practices. The results of the rumen degradation characteristics showed that there was a significant (p<0.05) difference in the soluble fraction of crude protein, acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre degradation among the treatments. There was also a significance (p<0.05) difference between the outflow rates of effective crude protein digestibility, effective acid detergent digestibility and effective neutral detergent digestibility. It was concluded from the study that ensiling and drying methods of processing reduces the ant-nutritional factors and the consequent better degradability of T1 and T2. However, the results of the study also revealed that ensiling is more effective than drying hence the better degradability recorded of crude protein, neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and the effective passage rate. Keyword: Digestibility, degradability, ensile, leaf