In situ DM and CP degradabilities of leaflets of three tropical legumes: leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit), pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.), and glycine (Neonotonia wightii) and of leaves of two other tropical forages: ramie (Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich) and cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) were determined in this trial. Three grams of pigeon pea, glycine, and ramie and 5 g of leucaena and cassava were incubated in the rumen of four steers for 3, 6, 12, 18, 24, and 48 hours. Effective degradabilities of DM and CP assuming a passage rate of 5%/hour were greater than 60%. Degradation rates, except for pigeon pea, were also high in this study. Forages had high total digestibility of protein (greater than 88%), except for pigeon pea leaflets that was 69%. Pigeon pea was the forage with the lowest potential for ruminal protein degradation.
cattle; ruminal incubation; legumes
