摘要 : The nutritional value of shrubs and tree fodders browsed by Tswana goats in Botswana were evaluated, in the first study, seeds from twenty browse species were analysed. Nutrient composition of the seeds varied widely. Crude protei... 展开 The nutritional value of shrubs and tree fodders browsed by Tswana goats in Botswana were evaluated, in the first study, seeds from twenty browse species were analysed. Nutrient composition of the seeds varied widely. Crude protein content of Bauhania petersiana was 6.42 g/100g while Sterculia africana was 35.59 g/10Og. The second study showed that twigs from five browses varied in tannin and nutrient composition. Acacia tort#is and Grewia flava leaves and twigs had similar crude protein content but their tannin contents differ significantly (p<0.05). The third study was to evaluate available browse resources for Tswana goats reared extensively in South East Botswana. The most commonly occuring species were Acacia erioloba, A. tortilis, Dichrostachys cinerea, G. flava and Terminalia seracea. Browses varied in their seasonal availability but A. tort#is, G. flava and T. seracea were present on the ranges all year round. The fourth study was a feeding trial using yearling males fed buffalo grass hay(Buchloe dactyloides) as basal diet and Acacia nilotica or D. cinerea as supplements to evaluate animal performance on these browses. The fifth study demostrated that A. erubescens and buffalo grass hay fed as supplement to grazing Tswana goats improvedtheir weight gains. 收起