Weight and chemical composition of the plant parts of enset (Ensete ventricosum) and the intake and degradability of enset by cattle

doi:10.1016/S0301-6226(97)00047-X

Livestock Production Science

Volume 49, Issue 3, 15 September 1997, Pages 249-257

https://doi.org/10.1016/S0301-6226(97)00047-X Get rights and content

Abstract

Three varieties of enset (Ensete ventricosum), Agade, Badedat and Lemat, were collected in the Guraghe zone in Ethiopia. The plant parts (the leaf lamina, leaf midribs, pseudostem sheath, pseudostem core and corm) were separated, weighed and analysed. The dried samples were analysed for dry matter (DM), total ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fibre (NDF), acid detergent fibre (ADF) and lignin. There was no significant difference between varieties in the proportion of the DM weight of the plant parts to the total DM weight of each respective variety nor was there any difference between varieties in their chemical components except in the lignin of the pseudostem sheath where Badedat variety had a lower content of lignin, and the DM and CP of the corm where Lemat variety had lower values than the two other varieties. The average values in percent of DM for the chemical composition of leaf and pseudostem respectively were 12.6 and 7.2 (CP), 62.7 and 23.7 (NDF), 40.9 and 9.8 (ADF), 6.7 and 1.8 (lignin) and 12.6 and 7.8 (ash). The DM content was 11.7% in the leaves and 15.8% in the pseudostem. The voluntary intake of enset leaf and pseudostem with or without urea supplementation was determined using eight non-lactating Ethiopian zebu cows with an average live weight of 197.5 kg (S.D. = 12.42) in the experiment. Urea supplementation had a significant effect on DM intake of pseudostem of enset (22.0 vs. 25.6 g/kg body weight/day for unsupplemented and urea supplemented respectively) but had no significant effect on the DM intake of the leaf (24.3 vs 24.8 g/kg body weight/day for unsupplemented and urea-supplemented respectively). The rumen degradability of the plant parts (the leaf lamina, leaf midribs, pseudostem sheath, pseudostem core and corm) of three varieties of enset was studied using three fistulated steers of Ethiopian zebu breed and incubation periods of 6, 12, 24, 48, 72 and 96 h. The degradability of enset lamina at 48 h was better than that of straw and banana leaf and similar to that of stover and Chloris gayana hay. The other parts of the enset plant had even higher degradability than green C. gayana, setaria grass, elephant grass and guatemala grass.

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Effect of enset (Ensete ventricosum) leaf supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, nitrogen utilization and body weight gain of sheep fed untreated or urea and calcium oxide-treated wheat straw
2009, Livestock Science
The study was carried out to evaluate the effect of supplementing leaves of enset (Ensete ventricosum) to straw-based diets on the performance of sheep. In a growth experiment, which lasted for 76 days, 36 male sheep (average body weight of 17.3 ± 0.58 kg) were allotted to six treatments. A digestibility trial was conducted using three of the six sheep from each treatment. The treatments were untreated or 2% urea- and 3% calcium oxide-treated wheat straw as a basal diet supplemented with three levels of chopped fresh enset leaf: low (215 g), medium (417 g) and high (594 g dry matter [DM] per day). The mean total DM intake tended to be higher (p < 0.1) at medium and high levels of supplementation than at the low level. The intake of total DM and nitrogen (N) was higher in treated than untreated straw. There was no significant difference in organic matter (OM) intake among treatments. Sheep fed medium and high levels of enset leaf supplements had similar weight gain but higher than those supplemented at low level. The digestibility of DM was not significantly different among treatments whereas the digestibility of OM tended to be higher at medium than other levels of supplementation. The digestibility of N was lower (p < 0.001) for treated than untreated straw whereas the digestibility of neutral detergent fibre was higher (p < 0.001) in treated straw. The highest mean N retention was at medium level of supplementation. There were no significant differences in total purine derivatives excretion, absorbed microbial purines and microbial N supply among treatments. It could be concluded that there is no major beneficial effect beyond medium level of enset leaf supplementation in both treated and untreated straw. For efficient utilization of enset leaf, sources of fermentable energy are necessary.
The supplementary value of different parts of enset (Ensete ventricosum) to sheep fed wheat straw and Desmodium intortum hay
2008, Livestock Science
A study which included growth and digestibility experiments was conducted to evaluate the feeding value of a) enset pseudostem, b) enset corm or c) enset mixture (containing equal amounts of pseudostem, corm and enset leaf on a DM basis) as a supplement to a basal diet of wheat straw fed ad libitum and restricted amounts of Desmodium intortum (Desmodium) hay to sheep. During the 71-day growth experiment, 18 one-year-old male sheep of indigenous breed with mean body weight (BW) of 20.2 (± 0.43) kg were randomly assigned to the three treatments. In the digestibility experiment, three male sheep with mean BW of 19.5 (± 1.06) kg were assigned to each treatment. Sheep supplemented with enset mixture consumed more (P < 0.001) wheat straw DM (335 g/day) than those supplemented with pseudostem (295 g/day). No differences were found in total dry matter (DM) and organic matter (OM) intake between diets supplemented with pseudostem, corm and enset mixture. Total nitrogen (N) intake (g/day) was higher (P = 0.0073) in sheep fed the diet with enset mixture (12.2) followed by corm (11.3) and pseudostem (10.7). The apparent digestibility of DM was higher (P < 0.001) in pseudostem (0.53) followed by corm (0.46) and enset mixture (0.41) supplemented sheep. Organic matter, neutral detergent fiber and N digestibility were similar among treatments. The amount of N lost in urine and faeces and the N-retention was similar among treatments. There were no differences in gain/day in sheep fed diets with pseudostem (29.3 g), corm (27.0 g) and enset mixture (36.5 g). It is concluded that supplementation of a wheat straw/Desmodium diet with enset fractions could be used equally at least to maintain body weight during the dry season.
Chemical composition and in sacco dry matter degradability of different morphological fractions of 10 enset (Ensete ventricosum) varieties
2008, Animal Feed Science and Technology
Enset (Ensete ventricosum), also known as ‘false banana’, is a perennial herbaceous monocarpic plant, which grows in the southern and south-western parts of Ethiopia for human consumption and animal feed. The objective of this study was to investigate the chemical composition and dry matter (DM) degradability of four fractions (leaf lamina, leaf midrib, pseudostem and corm) of 10 selected enset varieties (Addo, Astara, Birra, Chacho, Derassa Addo, Genticha, Gossalo, Gulumo, Kiticha and Midasho). Samples were taken from 5- to 6-year-old enset during the main rainy season. For degradability studies, three rumen fistulated male sheep were used. The dry matter content (g/kg) ranged from 106 to 172 for leaf lamina, from 42 to 100 for leaf midrib, from 55 to 146 for pseudostem and from 173 to 293 for corm. The overall DM was lowest in leaf midrib (62 g/kg DM) and highest in corm (227 g/kg DM). The neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content (g/kg DM) varied from 659 to 753 in leaf lamina, from 585 to 694 in leaf midrib, from 551 to 825 in pseudostem and from 339 to 893 in corm. Acid detergent fiber (ADF) content (g/kg DM) varied from 313 to 387 in leaf lamina, from 377 to 491 in leaf midrib, from 75 to 249 in pseudostem and from 52 to 84 in corm. The crude protein (CP) content (g/kg DM) of the leaf lamina was lowest in Gulumo (164) and highest in Genticha (245). CP content in the leaf midrib varied from 39 to 60. In pseudostem, CP content ranged from 25 to 50. CP content in corm varied from 18 to 100. The metabolizable energy (ME) content was lowest in leaf lamina (5.4 MJ/kg DM) and highest in corm (13.1 MJ/kg DM).
DM degradability of the different fractions, at 96 h of incubation, differed in the following order: corm (0.942) > pseudostem (0.889) > leaf midrib (0.668) > leaf lamina (0.450). Washing loss ranged from 0.180 to 0.299 in leaf lamina, from 0.137 to 0.365 in leaf midrib, from 0.327 to 0.543 in pseudostem and from 0.464 to 0.645 in corm. Potential degradability (A + B) ranged from 0.423 to 0.797 in leaf lamina, from 0.602 to 0.817 in leaf midrib, from 0.796 to 0.988 in pseudostem and from 0.893 to 0.981 in corm. It is concluded that enset is a valuable dry-season feed, especially due to high CP contents of leaf lamina and high DM degradability of pseudostem and corm. The differences in chemical composition and degradability observed between fractions from different varieties of enset underline the importance of including feeding traits in future breeding programs for enset.
Study of banana and coconut fibers. Botanical composition, thermal degradation and textural observations
2007, Bioresource Technology
Four fibers from banana-trees (leaf, trunk) and coconut-tree (husk, fabric) were examined before their incorporation in cementitious matrices, in order to prepare insulating material for construction. Their botanical compositions have been determined following a method described previously. Thermal degradation of these fibers were studied between 200 and 700 °C under nitrogen gas flow. Temperature of pyrolysis was the experimental parameter investigated. The solid residues obtained were analyzed by classical elemental analysis, Fourier Transform Infra Red (FTIR) spectroscopy and were observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). This study has shown (1) the relation between botanical, chemical composition with both localization of fibers in the tree and type of tree; (2) the rapid and preferential decomposition of banana fibers with increasing temperature of pyrolysis and (3) the rough samples are made of hollow fibers.
Optimized isolation and characterization of cellulose for extraction of cellulose nanocrystals from Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fibre using a two-stage extraction method
2023, Journal of Experimental Nanoscience
Wild banana (genus Ensete) - An underutilised plant as source of food, fodder, fibre and medicine and need for biotechnological interventions
2022, Crop and Pasture Science

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Livestock Production Science

Abstract

References (40)

In vitro digestion and in sacco methods for the estimation of dietary nitrogen degradability in the rumen

Anim. Feed Sci. Tech.

Official Method of Analysis

Availability of banana and plantain products for animal feeding

FAO Animal Production and Health paper 95

The role of trees and shrubs in livestock production in central Tanzania. A survey of their nutritive value during the dry season

The Genus of Ensete in Africa

KEW Bull.

Evaluation of nutritive values of herbaceous legumes, browse species and oilseed cakes using chemical analysis, in vitro digestibility and nylon bag technique

Evaluation of some Ensete ventricosum clones for yield with emphasis on the effect of length of fermentation on carbohydrate and calcium content

Tropic. Agric. Trinidad

The production and utilization of the genus Ensete in Ethiopia

Econ. Bot.

The problem of Neolitic culture in sub-Saharan Africa

Survey of enset (Ensete ventricosum) varieties and their utilization in five villages of the Guraghe zone, Ethiopia

Forage Fibre Analysis (Apparatus, reagents, procedure and some applications)

Nutritive value of different feeds used by small holder dairy farmers in Kilimanjaro and Arusha regions

Rumen degradation of dry matter and organic matter of different parts of the banana plant

Livestock Res. for Rural Dev.

Non conventional feedstuffs in the nutrition of farm animals

Development in Animal and Veterinary Sciences

Location and potential feed use

The voluntary intake and digestibility in sheep, of chopped and pelleted Digitaria decumbens (pangola grass) following a late application of fertilizer N

Br. J. of Nutr.

Supplementation of ruminants with protein and NPN under Northern Australian conditions

Journal of the Australian Institute of Agricultural Science

Digestibility, nutritive value and feed intake

Cited by (25)

Effect of enset (Ensete ventricosum) leaf supplementation on feed intake, digestibility, nitrogen utilization and body weight gain of sheep fed untreated or urea and calcium oxide-treated wheat straw

The supplementary value of different parts of enset (Ensete ventricosum) to sheep fed wheat straw and Desmodium intortum hay

Chemical composition and in sacco dry matter degradability of different morphological fractions of 10 enset (Ensete ventricosum) varieties

Study of banana and coconut fibers. Botanical composition, thermal degradation and textural observations

Optimized isolation and characterization of cellulose for extraction of cellulose nanocrystals from Ensete ventricosum pseudo-stem fibre using a two-stage extraction method

Wild banana (genus Ensete) - An underutilised plant as source of food, fodder, fibre and medicine and need for biotechnological interventions