Effects of increasing levels of Tithonia diversifolia leaves in multinutrient blocks on the intake and in vivo digestibility of diets based on Brachiaria ruziziensis straw in Djallonke ewes

Abstract

The effect of three levels of inclusion of Tithonia diversifolia leaves substituted for wheat bran in multinutrient blocks on the intake and in vivo digestibility of diets based on Brachiaria ruziziensis straw was studied in Djallonke ewes. T. diversifolia leaves replaced 0 (MNB0), 50 (MNB50), or 100% (MNB100) wheat bran. Three groups of three ewes each were placed in metabolic cages, and received one of the three following diets: straw+MNB0, straw+MNB50, or straw+MNB100. The inclusion of T. diversifolia leaves tended to increase the levels of total crude proteins of the blocks. Dry matter intakes of diets MNB0, MNB50, and MNB100 were not significantly different (p > 0.05) although they tended to increase with the increasing levels of T. diversifolia leaf inclusion (580, 594, and 647 grams per day per animal, respectively)