Information system about African herbivores’ natural feeds

Large herbivores contribute the lion’s share of the gross national product in southern Africa. Not only as livestock, but also game farms become increasingly important. Next to animal husbandry, “bush meat” (including sport hunting) is an important food resource. Furthermore, wild-ranging herbivores, ranging from elephants over antelopes to primates, are main attractants for tourism, providing an increasing contribution to the economy, and they are of high value for nature conservation. It is expected that under the pressure of future human population growth and climate change, the pressure on wild and domestic herbivores will intensify. In this context, knowledge about the nutritional values of different food plants seems to be indispensable and of high importance.

HERBFEEDS is a project developed under SASSCAL funded research (SASSCAL 1, Task 042). It is an open access information system on food resources of all types of mammalian herbivores. The idea behind HERBFEEDS is to provide information about the nutritional values and plant chemistry of all kinds of food plants of herbivores of southern Africa, linked with information about sampling site and date, collector (reference), the methodology of analyses and which plant part analysed as well as the herbivore feeding on the plant, if applicable. The information system will be helpful for different stakeholders such as livestock and game farmers, but also for animal and nature conservation management and researchers, as the chemical composition of a plant determines the utilization by herbivores and in consequence animal distribution. HERBFEEDS will be beneficial to identify new, neglected or forgotten knowledge about potential food resources and their nutritional values as well as an understanding and reactivation of local, traditional feeding knowledge and practices. This will in consequence be helpful for the development of new adapted feeding regimes and/or management strategies in the face of unpredictable changes in resource availability for herbivores due to climate change.

Planned linkages with other databases such as the Photo Guide to the Plants of Southern Africa will expand the given information. Inputs into the database are gained either from fieldwork and lab analyses or from other data resources e.g. scientific literature. Contributions that add valuable information to the database are welcome and should be sent to

herbivorefeeds@sasscal.org

SpeciesOther namesPlant functional traitReferenceLocationBiomeLat Dec DegLong Dec DegGPS position infoYear of samplingSeasonPlant partFeedipediaSASSCAL plant guidePZA-SANBISample sizeCrude N meanCrude N Std devMethodNDF meanNDF Std devADF meanADF Std devADL meanADL Std devSCC meanSCC Std devHemicell meanHemicell Std devCellulose meanCellulose Std devCT meanCT Std devCT methodCT SolventTP meanTP Std devTP methodTP solventAsh meanAsh Std devHerbivore utilisationComments
Acacia ataxacanthaSenegalia ataxacantha, flame thorn treeStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.45049722222217.2380444444442014End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link2.120.11Kjeldahl30.484.8608723496921.01395101788330.4139437696649772.4283333333334.369958428482714.1033333333332.87481245765129.56833333333331.41621208392912.41333333333330.38934132411891Butanol-HCLMethanol5.02666666666670.56567363971345Folin-CiocalteusWater3.7450.31804087787579wild herbivores
Acacia tortillis (seedling - leaves undamaged)Vachellia tortilis, umbrella thorntreeStolter & Tomaschewski*Greenhousenatural thornbush savanna2015Rainy seasonseedling leavesFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkvachellia-tortilis102.340.44C/N Analyzerxxxxxxxxxxxx0.690.18Butanol-HCLMethanol0.790.09Folin-CiocalteusWaterxxlivestock (goates), wild herbivores eg. rhino, giraffesub species unknown,greenhouse experiment, undamaged seedlings
Acacia reficiens (seedling -leaves)Vachellia reficiens, r ooihak , Rotrindenakazie , red-bark acacia , red thorn ,treeStolter & Tomaschewski*Greenhousenatural thornbush savanna2015Rainy seasonseedling leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link202.630.36C/N Analyzerxxxxxxxxxxxx0.510.09Butanol-HCLMethanol1.170.22Folin-CiocalteusWaterxxgoats, wild herbivores eg. rhino, giraffe, elephantgreenhouse experiment, leaves from undamaged plants
Acacia mellifera (seedling - leaves)Senegalia mellifera, blackthorn and swarthaaktreeStolter & Tomaschewski*Greenhousenatural thornbush savanna2015Rainy seasonseedling leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Linksenegalia-mellifera-subsp-detinens154.230.55C/N Analyzerxxxxxxxxxxxx00Butanol-HCLMethanol0.60.73Folin-CiocalteusWaterxxlivestock (goats), wild herbivores, e.g.black rhino, gemsbok, impala, kudu, eland, springbok, dassies, elephant and giraffegreenhouse experiment, leaves from undamaged plants
Anthephora pubescensWool grassgrassKesch et al. (accepted)*Khutse and Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswanasavanna23°-24° S and 24-25° E2009/2010Different seasonscombined samplesSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkdiv.5.71.5Kjeldahl74.23.642.82.3xxx 31.35.1xxxxxxxxxxxxlivestock, wild herbivores
Crotolaria spec.RattlepodherbStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Erichsfeldethornbush savanna21.598616.90122014End of rainy season (April)whole above-ground plantSASSCAL Plant Guide Link31.860.14Kjeldahl53.351.2936.4616.620.4446.651.2916.890.4229.841.300Butanol-HCLMethanol0.420.05Folin-CiocalteusWater4.330.1livestock sometimes
Dichrostachys cinera (seedling leaves)Sickle bush, sekelbosshrub, bushStolter & Tomaschewski*Greenhousenatural thornbush savanna2015Rainy seasonseedling leavesFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkdichrostachys-cinerea18-192.230.24Kjeldahlxxxxxxxxxxxx0.960.25Butanol-HClMethanol1.90.43Folin-CiocalteusWaterxxgoats, livestock, wild herbivoresgreenhouse experiment, leaves from undamaged plants
Eragrostis rigidiorCurly-leaved love-grass, krulblaarpluimgrasgrassStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Omatako Ranchthornbush savanna-21.509416.72912014Start of rainy season (October)whole plant (aboveground)SASSCAL Plant Guide Link40.460.04Kjeldahl73.910.839.90.735.20.2426.090.834.010.8134.70.500Butanol-HCLMethanol0.420.04Folin-CiocalteusWater4.920.39wild herbivores, cattle
Gomphocarpus fruticosusMilkweed, wild cotton, gansie, melkbostall herb-like shrubStolter & Tomaschewski*Namiba: Hohe Wartethornbush savanna-22.64401660621817.4036258459092014Start of rainy season (October)whole above-ground plantSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkgomphocarpus-fruticosus41.930.3Kjeldahl29.956.220.984.835.840.4170.056.28.971.4215.154.7100Butanol-HCLMethanol1.430.1Folin-CiocalteusWater8.250.98sometimes fed when food resources decline by cattle and wild herbivorespoisonous!! (cardenolides)
Grewia flavaBrandybush, velvet raisinshrub, bushStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Erichsfelde, hohe Wartethornbush savannadiv.2014Start of rainy season (October)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link71.750.47Kjeldahl45.18.3131.886.439.712.55.498.3113.221.9122.184.32.160.42Butanol-HCLMethanol3.410.66Folin-CiocalteusWater4.721.21goats, wild ruminantsvalues per farm available
Laggera decurrensWolbos, pietbos, bitterbossmall shrubStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Erichsfelde, hohe Wartethornbush savannadiv.2014Start and end of rainy season (October, April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link141.610.28Kjeldahl46.892.2928.913.926.552.4853.112.2917.992.3922.362.6200Butanol-HCLMethanol1.510.3Folin-CiocalteusWater7.971.69goats, wild ruminantsvalues per farm and season available
Leucosphaera bainesiiWolbos, perdebossiesmall shrubStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Claratal, Erichsfelde, Hohe Wartethornbush savannadiv.2014Start of rainy season (October)top of shoots including leavesFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Link71.32428571428570.25323619691618Kjeldahl57.0285714285716.558156317572334.0842857142864.49056365112028.251.69928416301342.9714285714296.558156317572422.9442857142862.207146401599925.8342857142862.868105397545300Butanol HClMethanol0.968571428571430.44035699803033Folin-CiocalteusWater7.670.90494935401565cattle, sheep, goats, important food resource during dry season for wild herbivores (e.g. oryx)values per farm available
Monechma genistifoliaPerdebos, sandsuikerbossmall shrubStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Erichsfeldethornbush savanna-21.598616.90122014Start and end of rainy season (October, April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link81.65250.29168231250553Kjeldahl38.1512510.77060608123526.113758.60688418402059.058753.270606922706761.8487510.77060608123512.03752.271461140826717.0555.441220976424800Butanol HClMethanol0.701250.21290088237085Folin-CiocalteusWater17.743752.6332540298487high value for wild herbivores in dry season (e.g. oryx)values per saison available
Rhigozum brevispinosumGranaatbos, simple-leaved rhigozumshrub, bushStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Omatako Ranchthornbush savanna-21.509416.72912014Start of rainy season (October)top shootsSASSCAL Plant Guide Link41.510.09Kjeldahl56.642.0140.522.0717.741.0643.362.0116.120.5122.791.200Butanol-HCLMethanol1.780.05Folin-CiocalteusWater2.440.54wild ruminants
Ziziphus mucronataBuffalo thorn, cape thorn, blinkblaar-wag-'n-bietjieshrub, bushStolter & Tomaschewski*Namibia: Erichsfelde, hohe Wartethornbush savannaErichsfelde: Lat-21.5986, Long 16.9012; hohe Warte: Lat: -22.64401660621814 Lon: 17.403625845909122014Start of rainy season (October)top of shoots including leavesFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkziziphus-mucronata42.110.16Kjeldahl45.935.5329.873.819.981.4254.075.5316.062.9719.893.310.830.13Butanol-HCLMethanol2.020.24Folin-Ciocalteuswater4.370.65goats, wild ruminants
Zygophyllum c.f. pubescensSpekbossmall shrubStolter & Tomaschewski*Hohe Warte Namibiathornbush savanna-22.64401660621817.4036258459092014Start of rainy season (October)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkzygophyllum41.77250.19972898304119Kjeldahl53.975.929997189431637.25754.12406251973313.080.9323447145056746.035.929997189431516.71251.859558639390924.17753.228347100297600Butanol-HCLMethanol0.41250.066017674401128Folin-CiocalteusWater6.56750.82935215680674wild ruminants, goats
Aristida stipitata subsp. stipitataBristle grass, steifes stechgrasgrassStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)whole above-ground plantSASSCAL Plant Guide Link61.01330.07033Kjeldahl79.46831.000335.05170.5572620.9950.9836836.36830.3155638.04831.032962.69830.24425wild large herbivoresmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Bauhinia petersianaLarge white bauhinia, koffiebosbush/treeStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link63.17830.38028Kjeldahl33.92673.883575.30830.6094165.16832.1339411.59171.2432817.02672.283792.14830.89923Butanol-HCLMethanol2.96831.14895Folin-CiocalteusWater3.80330.46509wild herbivores and livestock (cattle, goats)mean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Brachiaria nigropedataBlack-footed grass, svartvoetjiegrassStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)whole above-ground plantFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Link61.93170.365922.06170.472232.0952.0172936.0951.6033929.58832.276466.022.10871wild large herbivores and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Burkea africanaFalse ash, sandsering, wildeseringtreeStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkburkea-africanaLink61.40.10354Kjeldahl39.40831.4742211.50830.3441263.882.9257811.47670.7377216.42330.636132.98830.32908Butanol-HCLMethanol5.29171.19464Folin-CiocalteusWater1.780.23546wild large herbivores (e.g. eland) and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Combretum psidioidesPeeling-twig combretum, treeStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link61.51330.1082Kjeldahl2.379480.971428.77330.5586357.632.8779411.34170.6083620.94331.57171.8150.27443Butanol HClMethanol7.20670.50318Folin-CiocalteusWater3.16330.24809wild large herbivoresmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Digitaria seriataKuruman finger-grass, KurumanvingergrasgrassStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)whole above-ground plantFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Link61.2650.30244Kjeldahl68.9651.920172.88670.4073230.77332.7951630.412.3574135.66831.696265.34831.17958wild large herbivores and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Eragrostis jeffreysiiGeelhoutpluimgras, weeping love grassgrassStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)whole above-ground plantFeedipedia LinkSASSCAL Plant Guide Link61.260.07849Kjeldahl78.20170.632534.8850.5146222.1550.6919238.26330.7538135.05331.127842.90670.35904wild large herbivores and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Grewia flavaBrandybush, velvet raisinshrub, bushStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link62.83330.35001Kjeldahl45.58832.673246.51670.9050756.7053.772420.9152.4606318.15671.110921.23330.18195Butanol HClMethanol2.3250.26501Folin-CiocalteusWater6.57830.53372wild herbivoresmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Philenoptera nelsiiKalahari apple-leaf, appelblaartreeStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Link64.00170.39291Kjeldahl51.20174.5215610.22331.7573458.80832.9287218.80172.0455822.17671.2481500Butanol-HClMethanol0.880.05657Folin-CiocalteusWater4.17830.6733wild large herbivores and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Stipagrostis uniplumusSilky Bushman-grass, blinkhaarboesmangrasgrassStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)whole above-ground plantSASSCAL Plant Guide Link60.85830.09347Kjeldahl80.50670.963094.34670.7769920.16331.9337431.67670.5062344.48331.211031.87830.1209wild large herbivores and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available
Terminalia sericeaSilver cluster-leaf, vaalboom, geelhouttreeStolter & Tomaschewski*Waterberg, Namibiawoodland savanna-20.33369000069817.333880032015End of rainy season (April)top of shoots including leavesSASSCAL Plant Guide Linkterminalia-sericea Link61.37670.11911Kjeldahl32.15331.597996.41831.1010166.6852.6349310.4551.2829321.69831.572381.41170.1817Butanol-HClMethanol7.34170.72909Folin-CiocalteusWater2.71330.29118wild large herbivores and livestockmean of samples from unburned control sites, values from recently burned sites are available