Page 90 - Agroforestry system - book inner (final corrected) - 9.-3-21_Neat

National level e-symposium on “Agroforestry system for augmenting livestock
productivity and empowering resource poor rural farmers”

a lower cost than traditional feeds. One such alternative feed for livestock is Mulberry leaves. Mulberry is
a fast growing deciduous woody perennial plant. It has a deep root system. The leaves are simple, alternate,
stipulate, petolate, entire or lobed. Mulberry foliage is the only food for the silkworm and is grown under
varied climatic conditions ranging from temperate to tropical. The use of Mulberry leaves in the nutrition
of animals, especially goats, has been investigated widely. Composition of Mulberry leaves has been of
great interest to researchers in the area of animal science and especially to explore as feed ingredient for
small ruminants. In the present study, a in vitro study has been carried out as preliminary investigation and
demonstration has been carried out on feeding value of mulberry leaves for goats for better body weight gain.

Materials and methods

Mulberry leaves samples were collected from farmer’s field and subjected to proximate analysis. The
samples were dried and ground to pass through a 2-mm screen and then analysed for chemical analysis and
in vitro dry matter digestibility. The proximate analysis was done as per the AOAC (1990). Minerals were
estimated using AAS (Perkin Elmer model. 3110, 1994). Mulberry leaves sample (0.5g) was subjected to
48 h digestion period with McDougall’s buffer/rumen fluid mixture in sealed plastics bottles followed by 48
h digestion with pepsin in weak acid (Tilley and Terry 1963). All incubations were carried out in triplicate.
Three blank tubes (without sample) were used in each run.

IVDMD (%) = [(initial DM input - (Residue - Blank) / initial DM input)*100]

A demonstration was done in Moolakadu village, Vennathur block, Namakkal District on Mulberry
leaves feeding to Goat’s for better body weight gain
Results

In the present study the crude protein, crude fibre, ether extract, total ash, and moisture content of
Mulberry leaves are 22.0%, 10.5%, 3.0%, 15.5% and 65.0% respectively. The calcium, phosphorous, sodium
and potassium content of tapioca waste were 78.0 ppm, 2.3ppm, 110 ppm and 153 ppm respectively. In vitro
DM digestibility of Mulberry leaves at 48 hrs was 43.28%.
Demonstration results

Observations recorded
Parameters Demo control

Body weight (kg) age 6 months 19 16
Level of mulberry feeding/
animal/day 1.5 --
Gross cost (Rs) 3420 3300

Gross return (Rs) 5700 4800
Net return (Rs) 2280 1500
BCR 1.66 1.45

Institute of Animal Nutrition, Centre for Animal Production Studies, TANUVAS
National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development 71