D.J.U. Kalla1, G.A. Alhadrami2, M. Abubakar1, M.M. Gure1, M.B. Ngele1 and N. Voncir1
1Camel Production Research Group, School of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology
Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, P.M.B 0248 Bauchi, Bauchi State Postcode 74004, Nigeria
2College of Food and Agriculture, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, U.A.E.
ABSTRACT
The knowledge of the nutritive value of camel feedstuffs is important to the understanding of camel-forage relationship and development of sound husbandry decision. This study evaluated the rumen degradability and kinetics of some feedstuffs relish by camels. The crude protein (CP) of the feedstuffs ranged from 4.29% for Guirea senegalensis and Diospyros mespiliformis to 11.65% for Centaurea perrottetii. However, crude fibre (CF) content followed the reverse order. The solubility (a), the amount degraded with time (b) and the degradation rate (c) of the various feedstuffs were significantly (P<0.001) different. The feedstuffs differed significantly (P<0.001) in potential degradability (a + b) of the dry matter in the following order: Leptadenia pyrotechnica (leaves)>Centaurea perrottetii, Anogeissus leiocarpus>Acacia steberiana, Annona senegalensis>Ziziphus mauritiana>Acacia albida, Diospyros mespiliformis>Guirea senegalensis and Acacia nilotica>Leptadenia pyrotechnica (twig)>Balanites aegyptica, respectively. Correlation between proximate composition (CP and CF) and the rumen degradability rate constant (c) of the feedstuffs was significantly (P<0.05) negatively related (r = -0.696) between CF and CP. In conclusion, the result indicates an inverse relationship between CP and CF, and the dependence of effective degradability (P) on outflow rate (k).
Key words: Camel, feedstuff, kinetics, outflow rate, rumen degradability
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