Effect of supplementation with tree foliage on in vitro digestibility and fermentation, synthesis of microbial biomass and methane production of cattle diets

The main task was to evaluate the effect of tree foliage species supplemented in cattle balanced diets on the in vitro fermentation and digestibility, synthesis of microbial biomass and methane (CH 4 ) production. The experimental diets were isoenergetic and isoproteic balanced and formulated to meet the requirements of growing cattle (250 kg BW). Seven treatments were tested: control treatment (CT1) with the grass Pennisetum purpureum and six additional treatments substituting P. purpureum (30% of DM) with foliage of Neomillspaughia emarginata (NE2), Tabernaemontana amygdalifolia (TA3), Caesalpinia gaumeri (CG4), Piscidia piscipula (PP5), Leucaena leucocephala (LL6) and Havardia albicans (HA7). A randomised complete block design with blocks repeated over time was implemented. The highest gas production ( P