A Comparative Study on Rate of Passage of Neem (Azadirechta indica) Green Leaves by Sheep and Goats

To find out the utilization of Neem green leaves by sheep and goats, an experiment was conducted by using ten growing animals, five each of Sonadi x Corriedale crossbred sheep (15–18 kg) and Sirohi goats (18-21kg). The animals were fed on neem green leaves ad lib. In sheep 5 per cent excretion time, rumen retention time (S) and mean retention time (R) was 14.00±0.61, 53.15±2.21and 40.67±1.82 hrs., respectively for sheep whereas it was 14.35±1.02, 51.81±3.18 and 39.78±1.04 hrs., respectively for goats. The differences for 5 percentage excretion time was non-significant but the differences for rumen retention time (S) and mean retention time (R) were statistically significant (P<0.05) between sheep and goats. The Neem green leaves were retained for a longer duration in the reticulo-rumen of sheep as compared to goats. Thus, it can be concluded that Neem green leaves were better utilized by goats as compared to sheep.