Tells about the nutritive value of tree fodders which can be used as livestock feed.

1. Importance of tree
fodders for livestock
rearing and their Nutritiv
Value.
AMP 201
Livestock
and
Poultry Production
Management.
Course Mentors:
Dr Chitra
Dr Sumithra
Expounded By:
Chandini S
2013-009-005
II B.Sc. (Sericulture)

2. ØLarge varieties of plant materials which
are conventionally not included in feeds
for livestock are used for feeding of
cattle and other ruminants during
periods of scarcity.
ØSome varieties of tree fodders are
conventional feeds for sheep and goats.
ØCertain varieties are also fed to cattle
and buffaloes.
ØLeaves of different species have
different nutritional characteristics.
ØThe available feed resource if not fed in
the right proportion as per the
requirement of the animals, may lead to
imbalance of nutrients in the ration.

3. ØThe compound cattle feed
manufactured by various agencies in
different sectors does not usually meet
the specific requirement of animals
which includes species, breed, stage of
lactation, physiological status of
animals, quality of basal roughages,
etc., - these could be sorted out by the
incorporation of fodder trees in the
ration.
ØDue to such deficiencies, it has been
not possible to fully realize the genetic
potential of milch animals.
ØAlso, milk production and the
productive life of dairy animals can be

4. ØIn general, in the early stages of
growth the leaves contain fairly high
percentage of crude protein and
comparatively low fibre content.
ØAs vegetation advances in age, there
is progressive decrease in the protein
content and increase in the crude
fibre.
ØTree leaves are generally rich in
Calcium, but have low Phosphorus.
ØThe ratio of Calcium and Phosphorus
is generally wide.
ØDue to presence of Tannic Acid, the
digestibility of Protein in the leaves is

5. ØPipal tree – Ficus religiosa
ØBamboo tee – Dendrocalamus
strictus
ØNeem tree – Azadirachta indica
ØMulberry tree – Morus alba
ØBer tree – Zizyphus jujuba
ØTapioca – Manihot esculenta
ØArdu tree – Ailanthus excelsa
The most common tree fodders used in India and Tamil
Naduare,

6. Pipal leaves – Ficusreligosa:
Local Name: Pipaltree.
ØPipal trees grow throughout India.
ØThey remain green throughout the the year.
ØConsiderable research has been conducted on the use of
pipal leaves as livestock feed.
Nutritive Value:
ØThe palatability and nutritive value of pipal leaves is not very
good.
ØLeaves when fed alone could form a maintenance ration.
ØOn an average, the leaves contain 5.47% DCP, and 39.22%
TDN.
ØThe DCP content is fairly high as compared to conventional
fodders.
ØThe TDN value is lower as compared to poor type
roughages.
ØStudies revealed that various nutrients in the leaves varied
during different months and seasons.

7. Bamboo Leaves – Dendrocalamusstrictus:
Local Name:Bamboo
ØBamboo trees grow in large parts of India.
ØLarge quantities of leaves become available
during harvesting for paper manufacture.
ØIt is estimated that about 90-150 tonnes of
leaves can be obtained from one hectare of
bamboo forests.
Nutritive Value:
ØBamboo leaves are rich in protein.
ØThe leaves in tender stages are relished by the
animals and can form a part of the ration.
ØSeveral studies shown that bamboo leaves are
important source of roughage for feeding of
livestock.

8. Neem – Azadirachtaindica:
Local Name: Neem
ØNeem trees grow all over India.
ØThe plant remains green throughout
the year and is drought resistant.
ØLarge quantities of leaves become
available if collected judiciously.
ØNeem is a large and evergreen tree
with edible fruits and aromatic leaves
found throughout southern Asia.
ØA mature tree can produce 350 kg of
leaves a year, which may be used for
feeding cattle during famines.

9. Nutritive Value:
ØThe neem leaves are not relished by the animals.
ØBuffaloes consume about four to six kilogram. The
nutritive value is 6.19% DCP and 50% TDN.
ØAfter the oil has been pressed from the seds, the
cake is used as fertilizer, but it can also be used
as feed.
ØUpto 10% neem cake may be included in
concentrates for cattle and upto 5% for poultry.
ØThe oilcake has a very bitter taste.
ØLeaves and cakes are used as antihelmintic for
goats and is said to give healthy looking animals
when fed.
Deleterious factor:
ØThe terpenoids azadirachtin and limonin impart a
bitter taste and the leaves of neem are therefore
not relished by cattle.

10. Mulberry Leaves–Morusalba:
LocalName:Kalambi
ØMulberry tree is grown in the sub-
Himalayan track upto 1500 m.
Nutritive Value:
ØThe leaves are highly palatable.
ØThe left over leaves and stalks
contain 11.4% crude protein, 2.7%
ether extract and 3.4% crude fibre.
ØThese are highly palatable and the
digestible crude protein is 7.8% and
total digestible nutrients are 48.4%.

11. Ber Leaves – Zizyphusjujuba:
LocalName: Beri
ØBer is a commonly grown shrub, whose leaves are used as a
coventional fodder for sheep and goats.
ØIn arid zones, it is an important fodder for these two species
of animals.
ØGround leaves used in combinations with other feeds in dry
season in Rajasthan.
ØEntire shrub can be cut, leaves allowed to dry and beaten off
with sticks.
ØDried product called pala (a genetic term for dried leaves
collcted as livestock feed) and yielding at 1.0 to 1.6 kg dry
matter per tree.
Nutritive Value:
ØIn a comparative study on the palatability of different
varieties of tree leaves – It was observed that beri leaves are
comparatively more palatable than pipal or pakar leaves.
ØThe beri leaves have high crude protein content – 18.6%, but

12. Tapioca Leaves – Manihotesculenta:
Local Name:Tapioca
ØTapioca is a tuber crop extensively
grown in Kerala State and parts of
Tamil Nadu.
ØOut of three species Manihot
esculenta is most commonly
cultivately in India.
ØAnnual production of tapioca in India
is estimated at 4.5 million tonnes.
ØAt the time harvest, generally thr
tuber is harvested and the leaves are

13. Nutritive value:
ØTapioca leaves are a rich source of protein having
a DCP value of 8.3% and TDN value of 45.5% of dry
leaves.
ØWhen fed to growing calves 2.27 kg of partially
dried tapioca leaves could replace 0.68 kg of
groundnut cake.
ØTapioca leaf meal also gives good results in
feeding of lactating cows.
Deleterious factors:
ØSo far, tapioca leaves were not fed to cattle due to
presence of hydrocyanic acid (HCN).
ØThe HCN content is the minimum when the plants
are 5 months of age.
ØThe tapioca leaf meal contains 7.58 mg of HCN
per 100 g of material.
ØAt an intake level of 0.5 to 0.8% of body weight, it
does not bring about any adverse effect.

14. Ardu Leaves – Ailanthusexcelsa:
LocalName: Ardu
ØAilanthus excelsa belongs to the genus Ailanthus,
in which two other species A. grandis and A.
grandulosa are also found in India.
ØAll these species grow into enormous trees and a
full grown tree gives 6-7 quintals of edible leaves
twice a year.
Nutritive Value:
ØCrude protein and TDN contents are 19% and 64%,
respectively.
ØAcid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre
are 42% and 48%, respectively.
ØArdu leaves regarded as a good fodder by
farmers.
ØMature leaves highly palatable and nutritious,
usually fed to sheep and goats.

15. CITATION:
“Nutritive Value of Commonly Available
Feeds and Fodders in India.”
Animal Nutrition Group,
National Dairy Development Board,
Anand – 388001.

16. Thankoo