Nutritional Potential of Erythrina edulis as a Forage Alternative for Supplementation in Feeding Ruminants

Abstract

The main limiting factor in livestock production is fluctuation in the quantity and quality of forage resources. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the chemical composition and degradation kinetics of the feed that is used for ruminant feeding regime. Erythrina edulis (Euphorbia edulis) is a multipurpose legume plant with high nutritional quality and possibly the capacity to meet dairy ruminant requirements. The study showed that the two phenological stages leaves (SV) and sheath without seed (SF) had greater CP contents than other sources than are typically used for feeding ruminants. Nevertheless, the SF had lower fiber contents, so the highest DM and CP degradation parameters than SV, it was obtained. Consequently, E. edulis might be considered as a forage alternative for inclusion in ruminant feeding.