Effect of Substituting Conventional Concentrate Mixture by Leucaena leucocephala Leaf Fodder in Crossbred Calves Fed Rice Straw Based Rations

The effect of supplementation of concentrate mixture (group 1)/Leucaena green foliage (group 2) to provide 75% of CP requirements was studied for 103 d on performance characteristics of 10 crossbred (Ongole X Brown Swiss/Jersey) heifers (1½ - 2 years; 136 kg) on rice straw at 1 % of their body weight and ad libitum of hybrid napier green fodder. Rumen liquor pH and NH3-N were determined in 2 fistulated crossbred bulls in each group. The average daily gain (g) was 492 and 428 and the daily DM intake (kg/100 kg body weight) was 2.73 and 2.61, respectively in group 1 and 2, while the feed efficiencies were 9.06 and 9.58. Similarly no significant differences in the nutrient digestibilities were observed between the two groups. The study tended to show that 4.6 kg Leucaena green foliage was as effective as 1.9 kg of concentrate mixture.