ABSTRACT

In two separate experiments, the colour, p", temperature, smell, proximate composition of the most preferred grass and legume was evaluated, in the first experiment, eight WAD buck replicated 2 per treatment and aged between 8 and 10 months were used to determine the intake of the most preferred grasses and legumes which include Panicum maximum and pemisetum purperum for the grasses and centrosema molle and calapogonium mucunoides for the legumes. The diets were assigned to the animals in a cafeteria method and the most preferred is P. iViaximum and C. inolle. Result shows that except for nitrogen free extract, NFE and all other values evaluated for the proximate composition were statistically different with T4 being numerically higher (39.90) than other treatment groups, followed by T2 (39.53), 13 (38.45) and T1 (35.45). The most preferred grass legume mixture was ensiled in the ratios of Panicum maximum: C. molle (100:0) P. ,naxmum: C'. molle (75:25), P. maximum: C. molle (50:50) and P maximum: C',molle (25:75) denoted as T1, 12,13and T4 respectively were ensued for 21 days in 650m1 bama bottles after which the physco-chemical characteristics of grass legume mixtures were evaluated the result shows a significant difference (P<.0.05) in values gotten for p' of T1being significantly different (P<.O.05) from that of T2, T3and 14 while 12,13and 14were statistically similar (P>.0.05). The temperature of Ii is statistically different (P<.0.05) from others while T3is statistically similar (P>.0.05). The temperature of Ii is statistically similar (P>.0.05) to 12 and 14. 12, 13and T4had a perfect colour for an ensued grass or legume while T has a brownish green texture or colour which is not too good for any ensued forage. The smell and odour gotten from l was not pleasant while that of 12, 13and 14was pleasant. It could be ascertained that by the end of the work, the ensued P.maximum: C.molle (75:25) was the best both in colour and texture and the animals preferred Panicum and Centro to the other forages presents to them throughout the feeding trial and the ensiled Panicum and Centro at (75:25) ratio were better than others both in colour and texture.