The nutritive value of the leaves and pods of Acacia tortilis (Short communication)

Acacia tortilis twigs with leaves or seedpods, from the Tugela valley, were milled and fed to five two-tooth wethers for 6 days in separate digestion trials, after a suitable adaptation period. The twigs with leaves contained 10,8% CP and 45 TDN on a DM basis. The seedpods contained 15,8% CP and 59 TDN on a DM basis. The DM intakes for the twigs with leaves were 1,34%, and for the seedpods 1,40% of body mass. Live mass losses were recorded on both the twigs with leaves (-194 g/day) and seedpods (-125 g/day) indicating that Acacia twigs with leaves or seedpods alone cannot sustain sheep.