Nitrogen balance and rumen microbial protein synthesis in goats fed diets containing soaked and roasted Mucuna bean (Mucuna pruriens). Online J. Anim. Feed Res., 4(1): 06-09.;

The effect of soaking and roasting velvet beans (Mucuna pruriens) on nitrogen utilization and rumen microbial protein synthesis in goats was investigated. Sixteen goats were randomly assigned to four diets in a completely randomized design. Goats were fed a basal diet of Cynodon dactylon hay plus 30% soaked (treatment 1), 30% roasted (treatment 2) and 30% untreated velvet bean (treatment 3). The control diet had 100% hay (treatment 4). Animals were given experimental diets over 14 days following a 7-day adjustment period. Feed, refusals, urine and faecal samples were collected daily from individual goats for determination of nitrogen, nitrogen intake, utilization and allantoin in faeces and urine. Microbial protein yield was estimated from the allantoin. Data were analysed using PROC General Linear Model of Statistical Analysis Software. Goats fed a diet with soaked beans had significantly higher (P<0.05) nitrogen balance than those fed diets with roasted beans although nitrogen balance for the latter was non-significantly different (P>0.05) from that of goats fed untreated beans. Microbial protein synthesis was highest for diets with soaked beans although this was non-significantly different (P>0.05) from diets with roasted and untreated beans. All diets containing velvet beans, processed or not, contributed to significantly higher (P<0.05) microbial protein yield than diets with hay only. In terms of nitrogen balance, soaking can be recommended as an appropriate processing method for velvet beans for goat feeding. However, for microbial protein yield, processing method was not statistically important and the bean could be used untreated producing the same results.