Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

FLORA COMPOSITION OF RANGELAND OF EGBADO NORTH, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

Babatunde B.A. Taiwo, Abiola O. Sekoni, Gabriel A. Adeleke and Ademola O. Ogungbesan

Abstract

Four (4) cattle herds were used for forage sample collection in Egbado North local Government area of Ogun State. The area is in the derived savannah zone where a large variety of herbage abounds for ruminant nutrition. A total of forty-one (41) samples were collected and classified as grasses, shrubs and legumes. The samples were identified and analysed for dry matter, crude protein, crude fibre, ether extracts, ash, gross energy and acid detergent fibre. The results obtained from this study showed that a wide variety of forages grasses, shrubs and leguminous species abound in Egbado North. Elusine indica, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Pennisetum purpureum and Rottboellia exaltata had the highest frequency and distribution among grasses. Gomphrena celosoides was the most prevalent shrub sampled in the area while Centrosema pubescens showed higher frequency among the leguminous species adapted to the zone. Forages in the study area had high dry matter content, possibly due to the time they were sampled. Crude protein level was highest in leguminous species than in the other groups of forages while the fibre fractions were highest for the grasses sampled in the area. The gross energy obtained from the shrubs and legumes were similar and higher than values obtained in the grasses sampled. The results further showed that the sampled forages in Egbado North have high potentials to meet the requirement of ruminant animals if adequately utilized.