Vol. 2, Issue 6, Part A (2017)

Author(s): Meriksa Sembiring, Ahmad Salihin Hj Baba and Donatus Dahang

Abstract: Plants with varying level of tannins were offered to goats 4-6 months old fed with napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) and palm kernel cake (PKC)-based pellet. Voluntary feed intake (VFI) of offered plants on the 3^rd week of feeding was highest for Artocarpus heterophyllus and Leucaena leucocephala (48 and 36 g/kg^0.75 body weight (BW)). Sapium baccatum, Brachiaria decumbens, Micaniamicrantha and Musa sp. had VFI of 34, 33, 33 and 31 g/kg^0.75 BW respectively whereas VFI for Cyprus kyllinga, Melastoma malabathricum and Dillenia suffruticosa were amongst the lowest (24, 22 and 20 g/kg^0.75 BW respectively). Animals offered with L. leucocephala and A. heterophyllus had increased BW gain(8.8 and 7.9 kg respectively; p<0.05) whereas M. malabathricum and D. suffruticosa fed animals had reduced BW gain (5.6 and 5.8 kg respectively; (p<0.05)) compared to the BW gain of napier grass fed animals (6.9 kg). A. heterophyllus, L. leucocephala, S. baccatum, C. kyllinga, and M. malabathricum contain measurable condensed tannin (7.4, 2.6, 6.8, 5.6 and 2.7 mg/gDM respectively) whereas hydrolysable tannin was highest in M. malabathricum and D. suffruticosa (187 and 143 mg/g DM respectively). The use of browse plants containing tannins to manipulate VFI and growth may be beneficial if consumed between 3-7 weeks to avoid cumulative negative effects of plant secondary compounds on BWG.