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The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of inclusion of tropical tree foliage on intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance in sheep fed with a diet based on fresh chopped Pennisetum purpureum. Four male Pelibuey sheep were used, with an average live weight of 22 ± 1.5 kg, distributed in a (4 × 4) Latin square design. Treatments were P. purpureum (T1), P. purpureum + Brosimum alicastrum (T2), P. purpureum + Guazuma ulmifolia (T3), and P. purpureum + Piscidia piscipula (T4). Tree foliage was incorporated into the ration at a proportion rate of 300 g/kg of dry matter (DM). Intake, digestibility, and nitrogen balance were measured during 24 h periods for 7 days. DM intake, organic matter (OM), and crude protein (CP) intakes were not affected (P > 0.05) by including tree foliage (an average of 892.7, 784.2, and 88.9 g/day, respectively). OM and CP digestibility was similar among treatments (P > 0.05). Nevertheless, digestibility of DM and NDF was lower (P < 0.05) in T2 and T4 than in T1 (DM = 570, 560, and 662.5 g/kg; NDF = 687.0, 650.9, and 772.1 g/kg, respectively). We conclude that providing 30% of the ration in DM of foliage of B. alicastrum, G. ulmifolia, and P. piscipula improves CP intake and reduces NDF intake, thereby improving digestibility of OM, CP in sheep, which indicates that the foliage of these tree species may be used as a protein supplement during the dry season in tropical regions. Inglés

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