FEEDING VALUE OF Calliandra calothyrsus PROVENANCES INTRODUCED TO SRI LANKA AND THE POTENTIAL FOR SUBSTITUTION FOR COCONUT OIL CAKE IN RUMINANT RATIONS

Abstract

Six Calliandra calolhyrsus provenance introduced to Sri Lanka were established in the mid country region of Sri Lanka and evaluated for their feeding value and poly-phenolic contents. Samples were harvested from a regrowth after 24 weeks of pnrning. The average dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CF), acid detergent fibre (ADF), cellulose, acid detergent lignin (ADL) and in vitro dry matter (IVDMD) and organic matter digestibility (IVOMD) were 45l"l8, 947"5, 20l"l6, 447"53, 326 "49, l54"49, 258"38 and 367"35 g/kg, respectively. The tannin content \vas 40 g/kg and total extractable proanthocynadins (T EPA) and total proanthocynadins (TOPA) were l3"4 and 26"3 absorbance per lOOmg dry matter,
respectively. In nylon bag degradation study, the readily soluble fraction (a) od DM was between 28.9 - 34 %, and the insoluble but potentially soluble fractions (b) were lower than other common tree fodders (1 1.1 - 33.4%). Lnitial nitrogen disappearance from nylon bags in the rumen was highly variable (a = 1.9 - l6.2%), but the potential fraction was low in all provenance (b = 2.5 - 48.6%). Another experiment suggested that coconut oil cake can be successfully replaced by dried Calliandra leaf meal (CLM) up to 30%. Further increase of CLM in the concentrate ration reduced feed intake and total volatile fatty acid production, and beyond
20% level, both blood urea nitrogen and rumen ammonia contents were reduced. However, rumen pH was not effected by any level of substitution.