Kimambo et al., 1991. Livest. Res. Rural Dev., 3 (3): 35-40

This paper reports the preliminary evaluation of the nutritive value of different parts of three varieties of banana plant, using the nylon bag technique. Five parts of the banana plant (leaf lamina, leaf mid-rib, pseudo-stem sheath, pseudo-stem core and fruit peelings) from three varieties (Bukoba, Mtwike and Pazz) were analyzed for their dry matter and organic matter degradability in the rumen of sheep at different incubation times. The mean values for disappearance at 48 hours incubation were 27.7, 37.4, 45.4, 59.2 and 60.6% units for DM and 25.7, 35.4, 43.5, 56.7 and 58.6% units for OM in leaf lamina, leaf mid-rib, pseudo-stem sheath, pseudo-stem core and fruit peelings respectively. Different varieties showed some difference in the degradability of different parts after 48 hours of incubation. Bukoba had lower leaf-lamina, leaf-mid-rib and pseudo-stem sheath degradability than the other varieties whilst Mtwike had higher degradability of all parts except pseudo-stem sheath which was lower than that of Pazz. It was concluded that banana pseudo-stem has a greater potential than the leaf tissue as the basal diet for ruminants and that the fruit peelings are the most digestible of the residues.