Effects of neem (azadirachta indicd) and leucaena (leucaena leucocephala) fodders on digestibility, rumen fermentation and nitrogen balance of goats fed corn silage

Abstract

Eighteen crossbred (Thai native x Anglo-Nubian) goats were chosen from a commercial farm on the basis of similar body weight (17.0±3.8kg). The goats were randomly allocated to three treatments in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Each goat was given corn silage as roughage plus the respective treatment diets. The diets were lso-mtrogenous and iso-energetic containing cassava pulp, molasses, urea and commercial mineral and vitamin mix. The experimental treatments were Soybean Meal (SBM), partial substitution of SBM with Neem (Azadirachta indicd) fodder or partial substitution of SBM with Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) fodder. Nutrients intakes, ruminal characteristics (pH, ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids), nitrogen balances, plasma urea nitrogen were not significantly different among treatments. The present results indicate that protein foliages locally grown shrubs and trees can substitute imported feedstuffs concentrate (e.g., SBM) as protein supplement for goat production. © Medwell Journals, 2010.