Evaluation of pea grains using coupled in vitro assays for precaecal digestion and hindgut fermentation in pigs

Supervised field trials were conducted at the research farms of four agricultural universities located at different agro-climatic zones of India to find out the harvest time residues of flubendiamide and its des-iodo metabolite on pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) during the year 2006-2007. Two spray applications of flubendiamide 20 WDG at 50 g (T(1)) and 100 g (T(2)) a.i./ha were given to the crop at 15-days interval. The foliage samples at different time intervals were drawn at only one location, however, the harvest time samples of pigeon pea grain, shell, and straw were drawn at all the four locations. The residues were estimated by HPLC coupled with UV-VIS variable detector. No residues of flubendiamide and its des-iodo metabolite were found at harvest of the crop at or above the LOQ level of 0.05 μg/g. On the basis of the data generated, a pre-harvest interval (PHI) of 28 days has been recommended and the flubendiamide 20 WDG has been registered for use on pigeon pea by Central Insecticide Board and Registration Committee, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India and the MRL has been fixed by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India under Prevention of Food and Adulteration as 0.05 μg/g on pigeon pea grains.

The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the influence of preservation methods on the fermentation kinetics of carbohydrate fractions of fresh forage, hay and silage of oats, which have been harvested at the milky stage of grain ripening. Samples of unfractionated forage (WF), residue insoluble in 90% ethanol (EIR) and isolated neutral detergent fibre (NDF) were fermented in vitro and the gas production was monitored. To obtain the gas production and fermentation kinetics of the ethanol‐soluble fraction (A fraction) the gas produced from the EIR fermentation was subtracted from the WF gas at each time point. The same approach was used to obtain the gas production and fermentation kinetics of the fraction insoluble in 90% ethanol but soluble in neutral detergent solution (B1 fraction), by subtracting the isolated NDF gas curve from the corresponding EIR curve. The fractional maximum rate of gas production (RM) was lower for both preserved forages (p < 0.01 for silage; p < 0.05 for hay) than for fresh forage. Ensiling did not change the size of the A fraction but reduced by 40% its RM (p < 0.01) compared with fresh forage. The potential gas production from the B1 fraction and its RM were reduced by 19% (p < 0.01) and 44% (p < 0.05), respectively. RM of both A and B1 fractions was the same for hay and fresh forage. The curve subtraction technique may be used to obtain an estimation of the rate for neutral detergent‐soluble fractions and to determine changes due to ensiling and haymaking on the rate of gas produced. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry

This study aimed to investigate the effects of incorporating basil (Ocimum basilicum) as a partial replacement for alfalfa and wheat straw on in vitro ruminal fermentation, methane production, and nutrient utilization. The experiment evaluated three dietary treatments: a control diet (0% basil) and two basil inclusion levels (12.5% and 25%) substituting alfalfa and wheat straw. Chemical analysis revealed basil had a moderate crude protein (6.65%) and high neutral detergent fiber (54.26%) content compared to alfalfa and wheat straw. In vitro gas production assays demonstrated that the inclusion of basil at 12.5% and 25% levels significantly reduced (P < 0.05) cumulative gas production volumes across all incubation times from 8 h onwards, compared to the control. Potential gas production (b value) and metabolizable energy content declined linearly (P < 0.0001) with increasing basil levels, indicating lower fermentable organic matter in the basil plant. In vitro organic matter digestibility and short-chain fatty acid production were also maximized for the control diet. Notably, methane production decreased substantially (P < 0.0001) as basil forage inclusion increased, from 7.65 mL/200 mg DM for control to 7.09 and 4.53 mL/200 mg DM at 12.5% and 25% basil levels, respectively. Moreover, the reduction in ammonia nitrogen concentration (P = 0.0003) with increasing basil levels suggests improved nitrogen utilization, which could lower nitrogen excretion and its associated environmental impacts. Ruminal fluid pH remained stable across treatments, maintaining optimal conditions for microbial activity. In conclusion, the basil plant shows significant promise as a methane-reducing feed additive, contributing to environmental sustainability by lowering greenhouse gas emissions and enhancing nitrogen efficiency.

BackgroundAlternative feedstuffs may contribute to reducing feed costs of pig production. But these feedstuffs are typically rich in fiber and resistant starch (RS). Dietary fibers and RS are fermented in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and modulate the microbial community. Certain microbes in the GIT can promote host health, depending on the type of fermentation substrates available. In this study, six alternative feedstuffs (three starchy: Okinawan sweet potato, OSP; yam, and taro, and three fibrous: wheat millrun, WMR; barley brewers grain, BBG; and macadamia nut cake, MNC) were evaluated for their in vitro digestibility and fermentation characteristics and their effects on pig’s hindgut microbial profile. After 2 steps of enzymatic digestion assay, residues were fermented using fresh pig feces as microbial inoculum, and gas production was recorded periodically for 72 h and modeled for fermentation kinetics. After fermentation, the residual liquid phase was analyzed for short-chain fatty acid (SCFA), and the solid phase was used to determine the nutrient’s digestibility and microbial community.ResultsIn vitro ileal digestibility of dry matter and gross energy was higher in starchy than fibrous feedstuffs. Total gas and SCFA production were significantly higher (P < 0.001) in starchy feedstuffs than fibrous feedstuffs. Both acetate and propionate production was significantly higher (P < 0.001) in all starchy feedstuffs than BBG and MNC; WMR was in between. Overall alpha diversity was not significantly different within and between starchy and fibrous feedstuffs. Beta diversity (measured using bray Curtis dissimilarity distance) of starchy feedstuffs was significantly different (P < 0.005) than fibrous feedstuffs.ConclusionStarchy feedstuffs acted as a substrate to similar types of microbes, whereas fibrous feedstuffs resulted in a more diverse microbial population. Such alternative feedstuffs may exert comparable beneficial effects, thus may be included in swine diets to improve gut health.

Background: The production of lignocellulosic materials from agricultural and industrial activities is substantial worldwide, representing the most abundant renewable energy source on earth.A significant portion of these materials is utilized as animal feed, particularly in developing countries with extensive livestock populations.Ruminants possess the unique ability to convert relatively unusable fibrous by-products, such as straws, fruit waste, and bagasse, which have low digestibility and are primarily composed of cell walls, into human-consumable products.This conversion process is facilitated by the microbial fermentation occurring in the rumen, enabling ruminants to extract energy from otherwise inaccessible carbohydrate sources for non-ruminant species.The current study aimed to investigate the effect of replacing wheat straw, a commonly used roughage source, with different levels of sugarcane bagasse on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, and blood parameters of Zel fattening lambs.Methods: The experiment was conducted in two distinct parts.The chemical composition, gas production characteristics, and estimated energy values of the wheat straw and sugarcane bagasse samples to be used in the feeding trial were determined in the first part.Three replicates of each sample were analyzed for dry matter, crude protein, ether extract, ash, neutral detergent fiber, and acid detergent fiber contents using standard procedures.Additionally, the gas production potential of the samples was measured by recording the cumulative gas volume produced at 2, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16, 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours of incubation.The gas production data were fitted to the exponential equation to estimate the potential gas production (b), the rate of gas production (c), and other fermentation kinetic parameters.Based on the gas production values, metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD), and short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) concentrations were calculated using empirical equations.The effect of replacing wheat straw with sugarcane bagasse on growth performance, blood parameters, and nutrient digestibility of Zel fattening lambs was evaluated in the second part.The experiment was conducted at the research farm of the University of Tehran, located in Pakdasht, Tehran Province, Iran.Fifteen Zandi male lambs with an initial weight of 31 1.5 kg were used in a completely randomized design with three treatments and five replications.The lambs were housed individually in individual cages and fed the experimental diets for 90 days after a 10-day adaptation period.The experimental diets were formulated as total mixed rations based on the NRC (2007) nutrient requirements for sheep and included 1) a control diet containing 15% wheat straw, 2) a diet with 7.5% wheat straw and 7.5% sugarcane bagasse, and 3) a diet with 15% sugarcane bagasse.At the beginning of the trial, the lambs were weighed after a 16-hour fasting period, and this weight was considered the initial body weight.Body weight was recorded every 2 weeks, and feed intake was measured daily.At the end of the experiment, nutrient digestibility was determined using a 3-day collection of feces using the AIA method.Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at the end of the trial, and serum was separated and analyzed for glucose, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), triglycerides, cholesterol, total proteins, and albumin.Results: The chemical analysis revealed that sugarcane bagasse contained a lower crude protein content (2.67%) than wheat straw (4.46%), indicating its inferior protein quality.Conversely, sugarcane bagasse exhibited higher fiber fractions, including neutral detergent fiber (88.5%) and acid detergent fiber (70.59%),than wheat straw (NDF: 73.1 and ADF: 51.91).The gas production results corroborated the chemical composition findings, showing that wheat straw had higher potential gas production (b), metabolizable energy (ME), and organic matter digestibility (OMD) than sugarcane bagasse.Regarding lamb performance, there were no significant differences in the

BACKGROUND: An experiment was carried out to establish whether using a pre‐compacting device (expander) changes the contribution of dry matter (DM) and degradative behaviour of grains of barley, maize and milo pre‐processed by grinding over the different DM fractions (non‐washable (NWF), insoluble washable (ISWF) and soluble washable (SWF) fractions). Samples of the entire concentrate ingredients (WHO ingredients) and their different fractions (NWF, ISWF and SWF) were subjected to three processes (Retsch‐milled (R), expander‐treated (E) and expander‐pelleted (EP) samples) and their fermentation characteristics were evaluated using an in vitro gas production technique.RESULTS: The E process increased the size of the NWF and decreased that of the SWF compared with the R process. The ISWF of R samples was very rich in starch. The maximum fractional rate of substrate degradation and maximum rate of gas production were higher in EP samples than in R samples (P &lt; 0.05). In maize and milo the E and EP processes shifted the pattern of fermentation towards a more glucogenic fermentation, as represented by a lower non‐glucogenic/glucogenic ratio (NGR). In all grains the ammonia concentration (NH3‐N) and branched chain ratio (BCR) of E and EP samples were significantly (P &lt; 0.05) lower than those of R samples.CONCLUSION: It is concluded that the E and EP processes have the potential to synchronise the fermentation of dietary proteins and carbohydrates and shift the pattern of fermentation towards a more glucogenic fermentation. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Simple SummaryThe aim of this paper is to evaluate post-gastric changes in the fermentability of mixtures of different forages and concentrated feeds that are representative of the traditional diets of high-performance horses using the in vitro gas production (GP) technique. Based on GP and volatile fatty acids (VFA), the post-gastric fermentation of concentrates is greater than that of forages. However, when we combined forages and concentrates, the GP parameters and VFA concentrations of some forage–concentrate mixtures had unexpected values in comparison to the fermentation of pure ingredients, indicating the occurrence of associative effects. This shows that there is a need to evaluate the fermentation of diets, rather than predicting from the values of pure ingredients.Background: Horses are hindgut fermenters, and it is therefore important to determine the postgastric nutritive value of their feedstuffs and diets. Moreover, it has been demonstrated in other animal species that the fermentation of diets results in different values than those expected from pure ingredients. Therefore, the general objective of this work is to evaluate the gas production (GP) and volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentration, as well as the associative effects, of mixtures of different forages and concentrated foods, which are representative of the traditional diets of high-performance horses. Methods: An in vitro gas production experiment was conducted to assess the fermentation of two forages and three concentrates that are typical in horse diets. The combination of 70% of forage and 30% concentrates was also assessed to determine potential associative effects. Results: Concentrates and grains produced higher GP and VFA than forages when evaluated alone. When experimental diets were incubated, GP parameters and VFA concentrations of forage–concentrate mixtures had unexpected differences from the values expected from the fermentation of pure ingredients, suggesting the occurrence of associative effects. Conclusions: Our results indicate that there is a need to evaluate the fermentation of diets, rather than predicting from the values of pure ingredients.

In this in vitro study, the modified Hohenheim gas test was used to determine fermentation activity and bacterial composition of pig's faecal microbial inoculum, when fermenting a standard pig diet with varying levels of crude protein (CP; 20, 24 and 28% CP), and supplemented with one of three fibre sources manufactured by micronization treatment. These were wheat envelopes (MWE), pea fibre (MPF) and lupine fibre (MLF). For comparison, inulin was used. As intestinal bacteria have to cope with varying osmotic conditions in their ecosystem, fermentation was performed under normal buffered and osmotic stress conditions. After 24 h of fermentation, total gas production and ammonia production were measured. In addition, the effect of MWE and inulin on short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and numbers of total eubacteria, Lactobacillus spp., Bifidobacterium spp., Enterobacteriaceae, Enterococcus spp., Clostridium cluster XIVa and Clostridium cluster IV, were determined using quantitative real-time PCR. Under normal buffered conditions, supplementation of MWE resulted in increased (p < 0.05) SCFA, acetic, propionic and valerianic acid production at CP levels of 20 and 28%. There was an increase (p < 0.05) in ammonia production for the micronized supplements, and for MWE an increased (p < 0.05) branched-chain proportion was observed, possibly due to higher availability of protein for fermentation which was released during the micronization process. Osmotic stress conditions reduced (p < 0.05) total gas as well as total SCFA, acetic and propionic acid production for all treatments, while cell counts were increased (p < 0.05) for Bifidobacterium spp., Enterococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. Under normal buffered conditions in combination with 24 and 28% CP levels, lactobacilli were increased for MWE, compared to inulin (p < 0.05). In conclusion, micronized supplements such as MWE may beneficially modulate pigs' intestinal microbiota by increasing SCFA production in addition to a selective proliferation of lactobacilli.

Some feedstuffs which used in ruminants diet (corn grain, soybean meal, wheat bran and alfalfa) were analyzed for chemical composition, apparent &lt;i&gt;in vivo&lt;/i&gt; nutrient digestibility, &lt;i&gt;in vitro&lt;/i&gt; fermentation gas production and metabolizable energy. Chemical composition of test feeds differed in nutrient contents. Initially apparent &lt;i&gt;in vivo&lt;/i&gt; digestibility of alfalfa nutrients were obtained then digestibility of nutrients for the other test feeds were determined by difference method, using 16 Ghezel mature rams (mean weight of 43.9&amp;plusmn;4 kg). &lt;i&gt;In vivo&lt;/i&gt; DM, CP, NDF and OM apparent digestibility were different among the test feeds (p&lt;0.05). Regarding to the results, corn grain had a high DM and OM digestibility between test feeds and soybean meal had a high CP and NDF digestibility between test feeds (p&lt;0.05). Cumulative gas production was recorded at 2, 4, 8, 12, 16, 24, 36, 48, 72 and 96 h of incubation and the equation of p = A (1-e-ct) was used to describe the kinetics of gas production. Potential gas production (A) and rates of gas production (c) differed (p&lt;0.01) among feeds. Corn grain showed higher potential gas production (A) (326.5 mL g&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; DM) and wheat bran had higher rate of gas production (c) (0.097 h&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) than the other feeds, inverses alfalfa (257.6 mL g&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; DM) and corn grain (0.048 h&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt;) had lower potential gas production and rate of gas production than the other test feeds, respectively. The metabolizable energy (MJ kg&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; DM) content of feeds was calculated using &lt;i&gt;in vivo&lt;/i&gt; organic matter digestibility and gas production data. According to &lt;i&gt;in vivo&lt;/i&gt; organic matter digestibility data, the ME values ranged from 9.2 in alfalfa to 13.3 MJ kg&lt;sup&gt;-1&lt;/sup&gt; DM in corn grain. It was concluded that regarding to different chemical composition of test feeds, the &lt;i&gt;in vivo&lt;/i&gt; digestibility, &lt;i&gt;in vitro&lt;/i&gt; gas production and ME of feeds showed different values.

The effects of wet brewers grains (WBG) on fermentation quality, chemical composition and in vitro ruminal digestibility of mixed silages prepared with corn stalk, dried apple pomace and sweet potato peel were evaluated. A mixture of corn stalk, sweet potato peel and dried apple pomace (50/30/20) was ensiled with 0, 10%, 20% and 30% WBG on a fresh weight (FW) basis for 1, 3, 5, 7, 14 and 30 days respectively. The results showed that the application of WBG increased (p < 0.05) lactic acid, acetic acid and total volatile fatty acids contents, and decreased (p < 0.05) pH, dry matter, water-soluble carbohydrates content and ammonia-nitrogen/total nitrogen during ensiling. The pH in all silages was below 4.03 during ensiling. Treating with WBG increased (p < 0.05) crude protein content, and decreased (p < 0.05) neutral detergent fibre, acid detergent fibre, cellulose and hemicellulose content after 30 days of ensiling. After 72 h of incubation, cumulative gas production, potential gas production and in vitro crude protein digestibility increased (p < 0.05) with the increasing proportions of WBG. However, in vitro digestibility of dry matter and neutral detergent fibre, and metabolisable energy were similar in all silages. The 20% and 30% WBG-treated silages showed better fermentation quality and greater or higher in vitro digestibility, which were indicated by greater or higher (p < 0.05) lactic acid content, in vitro crude protein digestibility, and lower (p < 0.05) pH, ammonia-nitrogen/total nitrogen ratio as compared with the control. Therefore, ensiling agro-food by-products with at least 20% WBG were recommended for improving fermentation quality.

Simple SummaryA huge quantity of fruits and vegetables are wasted every year, having a negative impact in both the economy and the environment. Valorizing them as animals’ feeds would contribute to reduce feeding cost and, at the same time, would be in the interest of prevention of resource wastage and better economy of the processing plants. The aim of this study was, on the one side, to transform fruit and vegetable discards using solid state fermentation (SSF) to a stabilized product enriched in protein and, on the other side, to evaluate its suitability for ruminants feeding by determining the in vitro organic matter digestibility, fermentation characteristics and methane production of the control and the fermented product. As a result, it was found that SSF reduced the organic matter and reducing sugar content of the fermented product, while crude protein and fiber fractions were increased. In conclusion, SSF led to a stabilized feed ingredient enriched in protein, but at the expense of digestibility reduction. This research aimed to evaluate in vitro organic matter digestibility, fermentation characteristics and methane production of fruit and vegetable discards processed by solid state fermentation (SSF) by Rhizopus sp. Mixtures were composed of approximately 28% citric fruits, 35% other fruits and 37% vegetables. Fruit and vegetables were processed and fermented to obtain a stabilized product. Nutritional characterization and in vitro ruminal fermentation tests were performed to determine the effect of fungal bioconversion on digestibility, end products and gas production kinetics. Results indicate that SSF reduced organic matter and reducing sugars, while it increased crude protein and neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and neutral detergent insoluble protein. The in vitro gas production showed that SSF led to a reduction of the organic matter digestibility (p < 0.001), short chain fatty acids (SCFA; p = 0.003) and CH4 (p = 0.002). SSF reduced the gas production from the insoluble fraction (p = 0.001), without modifying the production rate (p = 0.676) or the lag time (p = 0.574). Regarding SCFA profile, SSF increased acetic (p = 0.020) and decreased propionic (p = 0.004) and butyric (p = 0.006) acids proportions, increasing acetic to propionic (p = 0.008) and acetic plus butyric to propionic (p = 0.011) ratios. SSF succeeded in obtaining a stabilized material enriched in protein, but at the expense of a reduction of protein availability and organic matter digestibility. These changes should be considered before including them in a ruminant’s rations.

Factorial experiment was carried out to investigate the effect of two factors, molasses (M) and liquid whey (LW) on fermentation characteristics and nutritive value of date palm leaves (DPL). Fresh DPL was chopped into 1-2 cm and treated with treatment solutions prepared by addition of 5, 7.5 or 10% of M together with 3 levels of LW on basis of nitrogen content equivalent to 0, 1 or 1.5% of urea. Ground wheat straw was added to each sample at rate of 50 g. Materials were packed into double nylon sacs and ensiled for 60 days. Samples of DPL were appeared firmly connected and most of them acquired yellowish to light green color with emission of an apple-date vinegar smell. Results revealed that there was a significant (P˂0.01) decrease in dry matter and crude fiber contents with increasing M levels. In DPL silages prepared with 10% of M, these contents were 30.04 and 34.70% respectively. Crude protein content was significantly increased (P˂0.01) from 6.39 to 7.32 and 7.32% for 0, 1 and 1.5% levels of LW respectively. This was associated with a significant (P˂0.05) decrease in fat content. All samples of DPL silages were characterized with good quality as evidenced by fermentation characteristics. There was a significant (P˂0.01) decrease in pH accompanied with an increase (P˂0.01) in ammonia nitrogen concentration. Values ranged between 3.85 to 3.78 and 3.84 to 4.32% of total nitrogen for the 1st and 2nd parameters due to the addition of low and high levels of M respectively. Addition of LW at 1 and 1.5% levels decreased (P˂0.05) pH from 3.85 to 3.81 and 3.81, but concentrations of total volatile fatty acids were increased (P˂0.01) from 2.29 to 2.97 and 3.11% of DM. Results showed that increasing level of M to 7.5 and 10% increased (P˂0.01) DM loss from 12 to 17.78%, but it improved (P˂0.01) aerobic stability. Samples of DPL silages prepared with addition of 1.5% of LW resisted for longer (P˂0.01) period (55.58 hours) before signs of aerobic deterioration were appeared.

This study presents the feeding values of leaves, seeds and seeds-removed pods of Moringa stenopetala for ruminants as evaluated by in vitro gas production technique. Feed samples were analyzed for proximate nutrients using official methods. Each feed samples (200 mg) were incubated in buffered rumen fluid for 96 h and fermentation characteristics were estimated using established in vitro gas production models. Metabolizable energy (ME), organic matter digestibility (OMD) and short chain fatty acids (SCFA) were calculated from corrected 24 h gas production data. The gross energy content (MJ/kg DM) was 24.9, 18.6 and 16.8 for seeds, leaves and seeds-removed pods, respectively. The crude protein ranged from 11.2% in seeds-removed pods to 39.5% in seeds, the average being 16.8%. The sugar content was 10.7 and 7.3% for leaves and seeds respectively. The OMD value was highest in leaves (74.3%) followed by seeds (52.3%) and seeds-removed pods (38.1%). The highest SCFA (103 mmol) was obtained from leaves and the lowest from seeds-removed pods (31 mmol). The ME (MJ/kg DM) ranged from 4.15 in seeds-removed pods to 9.94 in leaves. The average gas production from insoluble but with time fermentable fraction was 53.0, 32.4, and 26.1 ml/200 mg DM for leaves, seeds and seeds-removed pods, respectively. In vitro gas volumes at various incubation times were positively correlated with ash, sugar, nitrogen free extract and non-fiber carbohydrate; while they were negatively correlated with cellulose, hemicelluloses, neutral and acid detergent fibers. In conclusion, Moringa stenopetala leaves can be used as potential sources of protein and energy supplements to tropical livestock feeding system by replacing expensive conventional feed resources. Keywords: Chemical compositions, feeding values, in vitro gas production, leaves, M. stenopetala , seeds, seeds-removed pods

A study was conducted to assess the nutritive potential of some tropical non-leguminous multipurpose trees: Bombax glabra, Adansonia digitata, Ceiba pentandra, Kigelia africana, Newbouldia leavis, Treculia africana, Milicia exselsa, Mangifera indica, Spondia mombin, Terminalia superba, Terminalia catappa, Tabebuia rosea and Ficus thonningii. A wide variation was observed in the chemical composition, secondary compounds and gas production characteristics. Crude protein (CP) concentration ranged from 6.35 – 16.41 g/100g DM. The ash content varied between 5.27 and 12.46 g/100g DM. The content of neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin ranged from 40.49 - 69.31, 28.39 - 52.62 and 6.14 - 16.83 g/100g DM, respectively. At least each possessed steroid as anti-nutrient as revealed from the study. It was observed that five browse species had tannins while eight showed traces of saponin. The degradability of the browse spp can be grouped into 3: High fermentation (> 20.00 ml) for S. mombin, B. glabra, A. digitata, C. pentandra, K. africana and M. exselsa; moderate fermentation (17.00 - 19.00 ml) for T. superba, T. catappa, T. rosea, F. thonningii, T. Africana and M. indica; low fermentation (< 16) was observed in N. leavis. The highest potential gas production, rate of gas production, metabolizable energy and short chain fatty acid were observed in S. mombin. From the result obtained, it is suggested that some of the browse species could be utilized by ruminants as feed supplement during both wet and dry seasons. S. mombin being high in gas production could be supplemented with energy rich feed like guinea grass in order to sustain livestock production.

Influence of individual and mixed extracts of two tree species on in vitro gas production kinetics of a high concentrate diet fed to growing lambs