Is Leucaena leaf useful as a selenium supplement for growing Philippine goats?

Abstract

ABSTRACTThe effects of Leucaena leucocephala leaf (LL) supplementation on selenium (Se) status of growing Philippine goats were determined in the present study. A total of 12 3–4 month old male goats with mean bodyweight of 8.8 kg was used. All animals received a basal diet comprised of different forages. Six of the animals were supplemented with LL (22.9% CP) while the remaining six animals were not supplemented (control). The rate of LL to the total forage diet offered to the LL‐supplemented animals was 25%. Bodyweight measurement, blood and forage sampling were carried out every 2 weeks during the 4 months of experiment. Selenium, sulfur, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, copper and zinc concentrations were analyzed after wet digestion. Leucaena leaf seemed to have higher Se and calcium, but lower copper and zinc concentrations than was observed in grasses fed to the animals. Bodyweight of growing goats in LL‐supplemented group tended to be higher than that of control animals. Supplementation of LL resulted in high whole blood Se concentration of growing goats. In the last month of this experiment, whole blood in all supplemented animals contained higher Se concentration than the deficient level of 20 ng/mL, while Se concentration in the control group was slightly above the deficient level.