Effect of Partial Replacement of Dietary Protein by a Leaf Meal Mixture Containing Leucaena leucocephala, Morus alba and Azadirachta indica on Performance of Goats

Abstract

This study was conducted to examine the effect of Leucaena leucocephala-Morus alba-Azadirachta indica (2:1:1) based leaf meal mixture as nitrogen source to partially replace (50%) soybean meal in conventional supplements on the performance of goats. Twelve non-descript female goats were divided into two equal groups in a completely randomized design to receive either the leaf meal mixture based supplement (LMAM) or soybean meal incorporated concentrate (SBM) and wheat straw for ad libitum intake for a two month period. The goats given LMAM and SBM concentrate had similar dry matter intake (50.2±1.67 g/kg W 0.75 ) and nutrient digestibility. Nitrogen intake and its faecal and urinary excretion were similar irrespective of diets. The balance of nitrogen was positive and comparable (1.63±0.08 g/d) in both dietary treatments. The plane of nutrition on both diets was comparable and the digestible crude protein and total digestible nutrients values of the composite diets offered did not differ significantly between the dietary supplements. The serum concentration of enzymes alanine aminotransferase and aspartate aminotransferase were statistically similar in both the groups, while haemoglobin and serum urea levels were significantly (p<0.05) higher in LMAM and SBM treatments, respectively. It was concluded that the leaf meal mixture of Leucaena leucocephala-Morus alba-Azadirachta indica could be used as a vegetable protein supplement to wheat straw based diet of goats. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2002. Vol 15, No. 12 : 1732-1737)