Utilization of Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium as supplements by goats fed Panicum maximum basal diet.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of supplementations of Leucaena leucocephala or Gliricidia sepium by goats fed old Panicum maximum basal diets on their dry matter and nutrient intake, digestibility, and N balance. The experiment used four goats weighing of around 12 kg fed four kinds of diet in Latin square design. The diets were 1 young guinea grass, 2 old guinea grass, 3 old guinea grass 60% + Leucaena 40%, 4 old guinea grass 60% + Gliricidia 40%. Results of the study revealed that dry matter and crude protein intake, dry matter, crude protein, and NDF digestibility were significantly higher when the goats fed young grass, Leucaena- or Gliricidia-supplemented old guinea grass than goats fed old guinea grass only. N retained as proportion of ingested N by the goats fed young guinea grass, and old guinea grass supplemented with Leucaena or Gliricidia were positive (63.95, 68.85, and 67.88%, respectively), while the goats fed old guinea grass was negative (- 55.49%). Intake of young grass resulted in greater N excreted via urine while supplementation with Leucaena or Gliricidia resulted in greater N excreted via feces. It can be concluded that supplementation of Leucaena or Gliricidia is very beneficial to increase dry matter and nutrients intake, digestibility, and N retention in goats fed Panicum maximum basal diets. An important finding of this work is that young forage consumed by goats allows to reach important performances and that supplementation is not essential.