Tree leaves as complete feed for goat bucks

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Abstract

The objective was to look for the promising tree leaves, for feeding to livestock. The preliminary screening of tree leaves (nine species) by in vitro gas production technique revealed that leaves of Azadirachta indica, Melia azedarach, Morus alba and Leucaena leucocephala could serve as promising, alternate feed resource for ruminants. Therefore, in vivo evaluation of these tree leaves (except A. indica) along with that of Toona ciliate was assessed. Each species of the fresh tree leaves, supplemented with mineral mixture and common salt, was offered ad lib as complete feed to three bucks (Beetle × Anglo Nubian × French Alpine; 6 years old of 56.7 ± 1.12 kg BW). The data were analyzed by using completely randomized design. Bucks relished all the tree leaves (except T. ciliate) as indicated by higher (P < 0.05) voluntary DM intake and digestibility of nutrients. All the animals were in positive N-balance except those fed Toona ciliate. The N-retention was maximum in animals fed M. alba followed by that in L. leucocephala and M. azedarach. However, the DCP content of M. alba, M. azedarach and L. leucocephala was statistically comparable, while ME availability was higher (P < 0.05) from leaves of M. azedarach followed by that of M. alba, clearly indicated that leaves of M. azedarach, M. alba or L. leucocephala, supplemented with mineral mixture and common salt, could serve as an excellent complete feed for small ruminants.

Introduction

A major constraint to increasing livestock productivity in developing countries is the scarcity and fluctuating quantity and quality of the year-round supply of conventional feeds. The availability of feed resources is determined by the land utilization pattern. This reflects the demand of the human population and the nature of the ecosystem, which in turn is a function of land and soil characteristics including terrain, availability of water, rainfall, soil fertility, etc. Due to the ever increasing human population and the consequent increase in demand for food, livestock feed tends to be derived from residues and by-products of the food industry. The major problems with feeding of livestock occur in some areas subjected to long dry seasons, when there is insufficient plant biomass carried over from the wet season to support domestic livestock population. Over the past 50 years a rapidly expanding human population has markedly increased pressure on land, causing arable land to encroach on the best of the land. Fodder tree/shrub legumes have the potential for alleviating some of the feed shortages and nutritional deficiencies experienced in the dry season on smallholder farms.

The livestock of semi-hilly arid zones in India are mostly dependent on the tree leaves and grasses available in forest. But, information about the nutritive value of such feed resources is limited. Some of the forest tree leaves of semi-hilly arid region like Morus alba, Ehretia, Grewea and Leucaena were found to be rich in protein, soluble carbohydrates and minerals and showed great potential as an alternate feed resource (Bakshi and Wadhwa, 2004). This study was, therefore, taken up to assess the nutritive value of promising tree leaves as livestock feed.

Section snippets

Preliminary studies

The leaves of Melia azedarach, Ficus glomerata var. sublanceolata, Toona ciliate, M. alba, Ficus glomerata, Albizzia lebbock, Ficus religoosa, Leucaena leucocephala and that of Azadirachta indica were procured from the trees planted within the university campus. The samples (in triplicate) were dried in a forced air oven at 60 °C for 48 h and ground in a willey mill to pass through 1 mm screen. The finely ground samples were analyzed for CP and total ash (AOAC, 1995), cellulose (Crampton and

Preliminary screening

Preliminary screening of nine different species of tree leaves revealed that organic matter of leaves ranged between 80% (F. glomerata) to 93.2% (A. indica). A. lebbock and T. ciliate had organic matter comparable to A. indica (Table 1). The crude protein content varied between 10.8 and 19.9%. The leaves of L. leucocephala, M. azedarach and M. alba had CP content greater than 19%, which was significantly (P < 0.05) higher than that of other leaves.

The cell wall analysis based on detergent

Conclusion

On the basis of chemical composition, digestibility of nutrients and efficiency of utilization of nutrients, tree leaves like M. azedarach, M. alba and Leucaena proved to be excellent un-convention feedstuffs for small ruminants, equivalent to any conventional green fodder like A. sativa.

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