3. Results
Data for chemical composition of the grass hay
mixture and concentrates (At1 –At4 and Fa1 –Fa4,
respectively) are shown in Table 1. The grass mixture
232 J.M.N. Bwire et al. / Livestock Production Science 87 (2004) 229–236
was found to have a low crude protein content and
high fibre content. Energy concentration of the concentrates
was fairly similar and ranged from 10 to 12
ME MJ/kg DM. The amount of soluble phenolics in
the concentrates increased with increasing level of
pods and was found to be highest with the 2 kg DM
level of inclusion. Soaking ground pods in water for a
period of 24 h before being incorporated in the
concentrate mixture had no significant effect on the
concentration of soluble phenolics. Soaking reduced
CP, ash, ADF and NDF, while other components
remained fairly constant in A. tortilis pods. In F.
albida pods soaking increased the CF, ADF and
NDF content, while EE decreased, and other components
remained constant.
Daily grass hay intake did not differ between
treatments (Table 2). All levels of the concentrate
supplements were consumed. In both trials, milk yield
differed between treatments (P < 0.05). Cows on the
high level of A. tortilis in the concentrate mixture
(At1) produced more milk than cows that were on the
low level and control, respectively. Cows on the 1 kg
DM level of F. albida pods in the concentrate mixture
(Fa2) produced more milk than on the 2 kg DM
soaked treatment (Fa4). Milk components were fairly
similar between the treatments for the two types of
pod ( P > 0.05), although there was an elevation of
crude protein content in the milk from cows that were
on 1 kg DM of F. albida, and total solids in milk from
cows on 1 kg DM of A. tortilis in the concentrate
mixture. Ash content of the milk from the two types of
pods averaged 0.7%. A high degree of unpleasant
odour was found in milk from cows that were on the