Evaluation of Legume tree leaves and groundnut haulms in sheep

Gliricidia (Gliricidia maculata), subabul (Leucaena leucocephala) and sesbania (Sesbania grandiflora) leaves and groundnut (Arachis hypogea) haulms, fed as sole roughage, were evaluated in terms of nutrient digestibility, nitrogen utilization and degradation characteristics of DM and CP using permanently cannulated adult rams. Among the tree leaves CP content (25.6%) was highest in sesbania followed by subabul (19.8%), gliricidia (17.0%) and groundnut haulms (11%). NFE content of legume sources ranged from 45.2–53.5%. The results of metabolism trial with adult rams (24.9±2.1 kg) revealed that the digestibility of DM, OM, CP, CF and NFE was significantly (P<0.01) higher upon feeding of sesbania than those fed with other legume resources. The digestibility (%) of NDF, ADF and cellulose were also significantly higher in rams fed sesbania as compared to those fed other legume. Nitrogen retention (g/d) was significantly higher (P<0.01) in rams fed subabul and sesbania than those fed groundnut haulms and gliricidia. Higher effective dry matter degradability (EDDM) and effective protein degradability (EPD) (%) values were observed for sesbania (61.6 and 52.4) as compared to gliricidia (52.2 and 41.4), subabul (51.7 and 40.2) and groundnut haulms (40.8 and 48.3). It was concluded that subabul and sesbania leaves were better among the leguminous resources evaluated.