The Possible Role of DL-Methionine in the Detoxification of Gliricidia Leaf Anti-nutrients in Rabbit Nutrition

J H Edoh, A A Annongu, F M Houndonougbo, A O Ajayi, C A A M Chrysostome

A feeding trial was performed to investigate the potential of methionine as detoxifying agent of secondary metabolites present in Gliricidia sepium leaf. The leaves were dried, milled, and included in rabbit diets at 0 (D0, control), 10 (D10) and 15% (D15) raw and at 10 (DSM10) and 15% (DSM15) with 0.3% DL-methionine supplementation. 60-weaned rabbits (of 7-weeks old) averaging 1066±16.3 g/rabbit were used and fed the 5-diets (ad libitum) over a feeding trial lasting 6-weeks. At the end of the feeding trial, 6 rabbits were sampled per treatment for digestibility tests and 6 other for carcass characteristics. The experiment was designed as a one way classification. Proximate analysis and quantification of GLM phytochemicals revealed that G. sepium leaves are potentially rich in nutrients but contain substantial amount of antinutrients namely tannins, phytic and oxalic acids, alkaloids and saponins. Dietary performance traits gave no significant differences (p>0.05) in feed consumption, body weight gain and feed conversion ratio on the test diets relative to the control diet. The digestibility of dry matter, organic matter and crude protein decreased with increasing level of GLM. Supplementation of methionine to the feeds containing GLM had slightly improved the digestibility rates though the improvement was not significant (p>0.05). Feeding cost and economic feed efficiency were better in rabbits fed the diet D10 but not significant (P>0.05). Carcass characteristics were not significantly (p>0.05) affected by diets. Conclusively GLM at 10 or 15% inclusion in diets with or without methionine supplementation elicited no untoward effects on dietary performance traits and carcass characteristics of the rabbits. Methionine supplementation for detoxification should be carried out along with other chemical detoxicants to enable the inclusion of the leaf meal at higher levels.

https://doi.org/10.31871/WJRR.9.3.3