SOIL CHARACTERISTICS AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF SOME FORAGE SPECIES IN BOBI GRAZING RESERVE, NIGER STATE, NIGERIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR RUMINANT ANIMAL NUTRITION

Abstract

The Experiment was carried out in Bobi Grazing Reserve, Niger state, Nigeria from May – October, 2014 – 2016 to evaluate soil characteristics and proximate composition of six forage species namely Paspalum commersonii Cyperus esculentus Hyparrheni achrysegyrea Digiteria smutsii Seteria barbata and Brachiaria deflexa. Soil was obtained for analysis at 0 – 15 and 15 – 30 cm for subsoil analysis using the method of NSCS 2013. The physic-chemical analysis was done using the method outlined by ISRIC/FAO 2003. The methods of AOAC (2000) was used to determine the proximate composition of the forages. The soil acidity ranged from 6.38 – 6.90, The soil was generally sandy, the soil fertility was suboptimal. All the proximate values of the forages showed significant differences across the years 2014, 2015 and 2016, the dry matter contents of the forages ranged from 59.49 to 89.19% forage growth and nutritive value were not impressive. It was concluded that soil characteristics and rainfall influenced the nutritive value of forages in Bobi Grazing Reserve. Soil conservation and improvement , irrigation as well as planting of more legumes were recommended.