Rg. Ramirez et al., NUTRITIONAL PROFILE AND LEAF SURFACE-STRUCTURE OF SOME NATIVE SHRUBS CONSUMED BY SMALL RUMINANTS IN SEMIARID REGIONS OF NORTHEASTERN MEXICO, Journal of Applied Animal Research, 11(2), 1997, pp. 145-156
This study evaluated browse composition of animal diets of range goats
and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, texanus) grazing in no
rtheastern Mexico and some dominant native browse species fi om semiar
id Nuevo Leon, Mexico, were studied to determine their nutritional val
ue and leaf surface ultrastructure. Browse was the main component of t
he annual diets of goats and deer Large differences in nutritional vla
ues were found in the different plant species, although all were high
in crude protein (range = 12.3-23.5%) and low in cell wall (range = 27
.7-44.7%). Plants such as Acacia rigidula, Acacia berlandieri, Ziziphu
s obtusifolia, Porlieria angustifolia, Condalia obovata and Acacia far
nesiana showed smooth and waxy leaf surface with the absence of tricho
mes. These plants had acceptable digestibility values ranging from 50
to 85%, with exception of Acacia rigidula (31%), probably because of i
ts high tannin content. However, this plant was the most prefered for
its high abundance in the range. The preference in diets by small rumi
nants not only depends on the leaf surface structure, but is highly re
lated to the abundance of browse species in the harsh summer season al
so as well as their nutritional value. It seems that availability and
the high nutritional value of plants had influenced diet selection, al
though leaf surface smoothness may play some role in animal selection
Besides, leaf surface structure could be an acceptable guide for plant
species identification.