VOLUNTARY INTAKE BY SHEEP AND GOATS OF GLIRICIDIA-SEPIUM FED IN 3 STATES AND AT 3 LEVELS OF SUPPLEMENTATION TO A BASAL DIET OF PANICUM-MAXIMUM

Crude protein content and in sacco dry matter (DM) loss after 72 h of incubation in West African dwarf (WAD) sheep and goats of fresh, wilte d and dried leaves of Gliricidia sepium were compared. Additionally, v oluntary DM intakes by WAD sheep and goats of G. sepium leaves present ed in the fresh, wilted and dried states at 10, 20 and 30% levels of s upplementation were investigated in two separate experiments. The crud e protein content and DM loss from dried leaves were relatively lower than fresh and wilted leaves. At all levels of supplementation, the vo luntary DM intakes of fresh and wilted leaves by WAD sheep and goats w ere relatively higher than dried leaves. The results suggest that G. s epium leaves should be fed either in the fresh or wilted states to WAD sheep and goats, at levels between 20 and 30% of the total daily DM a llowance.