Elemental contents of Gliricidia-Megathyrsus mixtures

Abstract

The role of minerals in animal production, especially ruminants cannot be overemphasized because the imbalance of minerals associated with forages and feeds could lead to such animals not performing to the desired levels or exhibiting defects. This study evaluated the mineral elements and ratios of some of the macro-elements of <i>Gliricidia sepium</i> and <i>Megathyrsus maximus</i? and their proportional mixtures. The experiment was a completely randomized design with five (5) proportions as treatments; 100% <i>G. sepium</i> (100G); 75% <i>G. sepium</i> + 25% <i>M. maximus</i> (75G:25M); 50% <i>G. sepium</i> + 50% <i>M. maximus</i> (50 G:50M); 25% <i>G. sepium</i> + 75% <i>M. maximus</i> (25G:75M) and 100% <i>M. maximus</i> (100M). The mineral contents of the mixtures of <i>Gliricidia</i> and <i>Megathyrsus</i> were determined and the ratios (Ca:P, K:P, N:P, K:Mg, K:(Ca+Mg) were estimated. The effect of proportion was significant (P < 0.05) on all the mineral elements and their ratios. The 100% <i>G. sepium<i/i> had the highest concentration of Ca, Mg, Na and N as well as the highest ratios of Ca:P and N:P. <i>Megathyrsus maximus</i> was noted to have the highest amount of K as well as K:Mg and K:(Ca+Mg) ratios. The highest concentration of P was recorded for 75% <i>G. sepium</i> + 25% <i>M. maximus</i>. The estimated ranking of the tetany prevention potential of the mixtures were 100M > 25 G:75M > 50 G:50M > 75G:25M > 100G. The forages and the mixtures had sufficient amounts of both macro and micro-elements that could meet requirements of different classes of ruminants.