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† Corresponding author 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

CHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF ACACIA EHRENBERGIANA (SALAM) TREE 

FRUITS (SEED AND PODS) AS DRY SEASON SUPPLEMENT FOR 

LIVESTOCK IN ARID AND SEMI –ARID LANDS OF SUDAN 

 

Mohamed S .A Abdalla1 --- Izeldin A. Babiker2† --- Kamal F. Elkalifa3 

 

1Organic Farming Project, GIZ, Riyadh - Saudi Arabia 

2Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zalingei, Sudan  

3Department of silviculture , faculty of forestry, university of Khartoum, Shambat Sudan   

 

ABSTRACT 

In developing countries farming and livestock keeping are the most dominant activities for the indigenous 

people, proper farming maintain good and adequate grazing for livestock and hence support livelihood in 

such countries. Therefore, local inhabitants largely depend on some tree species suitable for grazing 

purposes.  In the present study, the nutritional value for fruits of Acacia ehrenbergiana (Salam) (seeds and 

pods) at the lower Atbra river basin in north eastern part of Sudan was investigated. Field samples of fruits 

were collected, each sample kept separately in a small cloth kit. Chemical analysis of fruit samples was 

conducted to quantify the content of various nutritional attributes including: the crude protein, crude fibers, 

fats, starch, ash, and moisture content. In addition to some minerals namely P, Ca, Mg, Na, Cur and Fe. 

Chemical analysis revealed that CP is found to be as high as 30.99%, CF reached 25.11%, the starch 

content 12.12%, fat 4.1%, and ash content 11.81% .These values showed the high nutritional values fruits. 

Similarly mineral contents demonstrate good amounts of Na and Ca that needed by livestock for adequate 

growth, but lower amounts of P that should be supplemented to the diets. Most tested browse fruits revealed 

adequate nutritional values of Acacia ehrenbergiana (Salam) fruits as a protein or dry season supplement. 

Fodder trees still need to be fully evaluated in order to reduce the cost of feed . This can be done by being 

used as a feed supplement to livestock .Increasing the base for feed options (forages) with high quality feed 

will support the ever increasing demand for livestock products ,as feed is the most important factor 

influencing  livestock production in the harsh environment of the dry lands. 

Keywords: Fodder analysis, Acacia, Nutritional value. 

Received: 24 March 2015/ Revised: 28 April 2015/ Accepted: 3 May 2015/ Published: 9 May 2015  

Animal Review 
2015 Vol. 2, No. 3, pp. 76-80 
ISSN(e): 2409-6490 
ISSN(p): 2412-3382 
DOI: 10.18488/journal.ar/2015.2.3/101.3.76.80 
© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 
 

 
 

 
 

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http://crossmark.crossref.org/dialog/?doi=10.18488/journal.ar/2015.2.3/101.3.76.80


 
Animal Review, 2015, 2(3): 76-80 

 

 
77 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

1. INTRODUCTION 

In the Butana (central eastern Sudan) the household economy is based on an agro-pastoralist 

system of production where both livestock (goats, sheep, cattle and camels) and crop production 

(sorghum) are practiced [1]. Small holder livestock keepers in this part of Sudan, rarely use 

conventional concentrate feeds in livestock production system as they are expensive. Non-

conventional feeds need to be considered for this sector and areas [2]. Camel and goats depend 

largely on natural range lands for their feed requirements, a situation unlikely to change in the 

foreseeable future. Tropical rangeland is endowed with flora that is rich in protein. Most range 

lands in Sudan are dominated by Acacia species beside other fodder tree species. In The dry 

season period in Sudan, livestock experience serious shortage of feed, which in turn causes 

pressure on the range lands, resulting in degradation. The nutritional inadequacy of the dry 

season grazing imposes a major constraint on sustainable livestock production under traditional 

systems where grazing constitutes the only source of feed for livestock.  The non-availability of 

forage during the dry season affects sedentary livestock more, as they lack the advantage of 

mobility exercised in the transhumant and nomadic systems. The utilization of protein rich fodder 

trees as feed supplement can counter the seasonal shortage of good quality forage for livestock. 

Acacia ehrenbergiana has a wide distribution range at present. It is an important legume fodder 

treefor indigenous populations (it is used to feed animals, such as goats, sheep and camels). It is a 

valued fodder (leaves, flowers and seed pods) for camels, sheep and goats in the Sahelian regions, 

where it is pollarded in the dry season. The role of fodder trees and shrubs (Acacia, Cadaba, 

Maeruaetc) as a dry season source of feed (pods, leaves and twigs) should not be under-estimated. 

They are particularly valuable in the Semi-desert and Low Rainfall Savanna zones. El- Behairy 

[3] evaluated Acacia ehrenbergiana as browse tree in southwestern Saudi Arabia and found  CP 

value of  8.45% while digestible crude protein (DCP) reached 4.6%, 12.78 for the ash content ,  

2.26% EE, and 35.22% CF. mineral concentration reported by the same researcher showed  2.19% 

Na,  1.38% K, 1.17% Ca, 1.56 Mg  and 0.4 % P. He concluded that, the potential nutritive value of 

Acacia ehrenbergiana when comparable to the other browsers is rich in most minerals. 

FadelElSeed, et al. [4] studied the nutritive evaluation of some fodder tree species during the dry 

season in central Sudan, he reported that, Acacia ehrenbergiana may have potential value for 

supplementation of energy or protein better in early dry  or wet season  , it contains higher levels 

of crude protein at early period of the season , but decreased at the late period. Mineral 

concentration  of Acacia ehrenbergiana was found to be of relatively higher Ca content  as reported 

by [4-6], but with extremely low P content. The objective of this study was to assess the 

chemical analysis and potential nutritive value of some selected species of Acacia ehrenbergiana 

fruits (pods and seeds) in Lower Atbara River area, based on their chemical composition 

 

 

 



 
Animal Review, 2015, 2(3): 76-80 

 

 
78 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

2. MATERIAL AND METHODS 

2.1. Samples Collection  

Acaciaehrenbergiana(Salam)grown along the downstream of Atbara Riverbank, Sudan, as the 

most desirable sites bygrazers, was examined. Eleven random seeds and pods were manually colle

cted from Acacia ehrenbergiana(Salam) trees at different positions on the adopted sites .The fruit 

was hand‐picked to eliminate damaged pieces Fruits,. These were immediately weighed and 

stored in cloth bags. Samples were identified and labeled with botanical and local names. 

 

2.2. Laboratory Sample Preparation  

Fruit samples were sun dried and their moisture contents were calculated. The dry samples 

were ground, burned to ash and treated with HCl and HNO3 acid in order to digest any residues 

of organic matter. The samples were filtered for chemical analysis [7]. 

 

2.3. Sample Chemical Analysis  

Proximate analysis for chemical components; moisture, crude protein, crude fiber, ash, fat and 

starch were determined by using (NIRS=Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy).  

 

2.4. Chemical Composition of Fruits of Commonly Grazed Species in the Study Area 

Fruits minerals were determined as for phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca), sodium (Na), potassium 

(K), magnesium (Mg), iron (Fe) and copper (Cu) according to the methods described by Naumann 

and Bassler [8]. Potassium and sodium were analyzed by flame-photometer (Coring EEL 100) 

while calcium, magnesium, iron and copper were determined by atomic absorption 

spectrophotometer (2380 Perkin Elmer) and phosphorus was determined by the 

spectrophotometer (SP 6-200 Unican. 

 

3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 

The current proximate analysis at table (1) showed that, the nutritive attributes of 

Acacia ehrenbergiana regarding CP content are as  high as (30. 99%)  than the values for CP  

contents of the shoots and leaves reported by El- Behairy [3] and FadelElSeed, et al. [4]. This is 

due to that, in this study the whole fruit (pods and seeds) was involved in the chemical analysis, 

but both of them is higher than protein content of the shoots and forage of the same fodder tree. 

Again, Walker [9] reported that the crude protein content of browse plants is generally 

considerably higher than that for the grasses at all times other than the early growing season. 

The crude fiber (CF) content in the present study  (25.11%), is lower than values reported by El- 

Behairy [3] for the tree shoots as 35.22%, the difference is  partly reasonable due to lower values 

of cell wall fraction in seeds  which being included in the chemical analysis in this study. Minerals 

content of Acacia ehrenbergiana fruits shown on table (2) is consistent with what had been reported 

by [4-6] and  slightly lower than those reported by El- Behairy [3] as  .It showed adequate Ca  

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/19892054/0


 
Animal Review, 2015, 2(3): 76-80 

 

 
79 

© 2015 Conscientia Beam. All Rights Reserved. 

 

concentration, but with extremely low P content.Its strongly recommended to supplement using 

an appropriate amount of phosphorus. 

 

Table-1. Proximal composition of fruits of commonly grazed species in the study area 

Nutrient % 

DM 90.32 
Fat 4.10 
CP 30.99 

Starch 12.12 
CF 25.11 
Ash 11.81 

 

Table-2. Mineral composition of fruits of commonly grazed species in the study area 

Mineral concentration 

Ca 0.71 
P 0.23 

K 1.25 
Mg 0.26 
Na 1055 ppm 
Fe 215ppm 
Cu 15.25 ppm 

 

4. CONCLUSION 

Fodder trees fruits (pods and seeds) provide a considerable part of animal demand for protein 

and macro- minerals to overcome the negative impact of the dry season as shown in our findings. 

Efficient utilization of the available feed resources is a key factor in livestock production that may 

improve livelihood of resource - poor communities and increase opportunities for the provision of 

animal protein in the forms of meat and milk. Cheap protein sources will be a prerequisite for 

viable and sustainable animal production in the dry lands of Sudan. 

 

Funding: This study received no specific financial support. 
 

Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. 
 

Contributors/Acknowledgement: All authors contributed equally to the conception and design of the study.  

 

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[3] M. A. H. El- Behairy, "Nutritive evaluation of two acacia populations in Southeastern Saudi 

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