In vivo digestibility and nitrogen balance in sheep diets with foliage of fodder trees in substitution for soybean meal

Apparent digestibility and nitrogen (N) balance were evaluated in sheep fed low-quality Cynodon nlemfuensis grass supplemented with different foliages of forage-potential trees. Four male hair sheep were housed in metabolic cages and fed in a Latin Square design with 30 % inclusion of foliage of Erythrina indica ( Ei ) , Moringa oleifera ( Mo ), or Trichanthera gigantea ( Tg ) replacing soybean meal. Adaptation and faeces and urine collection periods were 14 and 7 days, respectively. Sheep received 70 g DM/kg/BW 0.75 of the diet in order to achieve total consumption of feed. Dry matter, organic matter, and neutral detergent fiber digestibilities were similar (P > 0.05) among the control, Mo , and Ei diets, while the Tg diet resulted in the lowest (P