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Matching Livestock Systems with Available Resources |
MEKARN Regional Conference 2007 |
Tithonia diversifolia (Wild Sunflower) was planted as pure stand (TD) or in association with guinea grass (TDGG). Guinea grass alone was the control (GG). Design was random block with 3 replications. Fertilization was 10 tonnes cattle manure/ha. Biomass yields over 12 months (5 harvests) were 25, 28 and 26 tonnes DM and 6, 5 and 3 tonnes of crude protein for tghe three treatments respectively. Soil fertility neasured by the biotest method and phosporus levels was increased in the TD and TDGG plots compared with GG.
Growing goats were fed foliages of Tithonia, Jackfruit and stylosanthes as sole diet. DM apparent digestibility was similar on al diets (51-53%) and for crude protein highest on Tithonia (68%) and lowest on Jackfruit (36%). N retention was lowest on Tithonia (2.1 g/day) and hiighest on Jackfrui (3.3 g/day with intermediate values for stylo (2.7 g/day). Urine N excretion as function of N intake was 60% compared 27% for jackfruit.
It is concluded that Tithonia has valuable agronomic traits (high DM and crude protein yield and improved soil fertility). Its potential as basal diet for goats appears to be constrained by high rumen degradability of the nitrogenous components leading to large losses on N in the urine.