The evaluation of the effect of location on chemical composition of forages in Okondjatu communal area

Abstract

Abstract by author:

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effect of location on the chemical composition of forages and consequently their quality in the Okondjatu Communal Area. One browse and one grass specie were evaluated for the study. Samples were randomly collected in four randomly selected villages at two sites per village. The material sampled were air dried in the laboratory and subsequently ground. The samples were analysed for proximate composition. On dry matter basis the average crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract, nitrogen free extract, and ash for Grewiaflava in the four villages were within the following range, 13. 45 -15. 96, 26. 1 - 36. 3, 3. 90 -6. 11, 37. 29-47. 23, 6. 79-7. 78, respectively. The corresponding values for grass specie was 3. 55 - 5. 56, 36. 9 -63. 3, 0. 88 - 1. 01, 26. 33 - 59. 59, and 4. 49-7. 88. The mean dry matter content of browse in village C (P0. 05) was significantly low than dry matter content of browse in the other three villages. Browse in village C (15. 7 percent) and village B (15. 5 percent) had generally a higher crude protein content compared to browse in village A (13. 6 percent) and village D (14. 5 percent). The crude fibre content of grass in village A was significantly high than crude fibre of grass in village B, C and D (Tukey HSD: P 0. 05). The analysis of proximate results showed that there is no consistent differences in chemical composition of grass and browse in the study area