In vitro digestibility and nutrient content of selected muntant varieties of velvet beans (Mucuna Pruriens)

Abstract

fhc stud) was conducted to determine the nutrient composition and in \ itro diaestibiiity of scleeled seeds jf mutant varieties of Mucmui pruriciis. 'liic two varieties o!' Velvet beans used iii litis stud_\ were SoinmcrscI and NIRS. Samples oi'\'el\eI liJeans were grown at l.icmnc farm ol'tiic l.4ii\ersit} of Zambia boated in Cdioongue District of Lusaka i'ro\inee Anro-eeological region II of Zambia. Ru.men liquor was jbtaincd from two go;Us from Clubo!_\'a niarkcl a local goat .slaughter rmn-kei in 1 usa.i^a. 'I'hus liie locu-, of he stud\' \sas to cvah.!ale the nutriliv e \ alue of the two varieties and their nuUanl^. I hese were related \o. uitricnt conienl and in vitrti digestibility of the beans in goat rtnncii liquor. Proximate anal_\'sis \\as also ;an"icd out on the beans, 'i here \sere significant differences between \civet bean \arieties arid Irealineni ncans for the following moi,-,ture (0.6 - 5.1 I'^'o), ash (2.9 - d.75%). phosphorus (1.02 2.9%). crude fat 6.3 12.25%), and crude protein (11.9 27.8%). Calcium only showed signillcancc in the ir.ieraction )ct\vccn treatment means, which suggests that all tlie treated samples contain the similar amounts of Talciuin. !lie gnind moan for the Calciimi wa.s fotnui to be 1.5%. fhe /;/ viUi) Diy Matter Digestibility ol /elvet bean;, \\as nol signillcariilv dilTerent for all the samples. Ihwvexer. there was a signifr.:ani liffcrenee at p<0.05 between tiie control (so}'a bean 95.02% digestibilitN) and the mulani \'arietie> oi' 'chel beans, 'fhe xclvet beaais digestibilit}' results (84 - 93 "\)) were found to be comparable tci tiie>;,e band in sorghum seeds this sitggesls that vcK'ct beans can be incorporated in goat diets, at sonte )crcentage iiich.ision.. witli the gouts not experiencing ari\' majoi' problems due i<.^ theii' higii dige-.til^ilil\. lence, it can be ccMieluded that the high } iciding \ai'icties of \el\el beans can be irsed in place of :on\entional protein sources such as soya beans in dr\' season feed supplement IV'r goats.