Performance of goats fed on Ardu (Alianthus excelsa) and Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves in arid region

Abstract

A study was conducted to assess the effect of feeding of Ardu (Alianthus excelsa) and neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves on acceptability, palatability, dry matter intake and the health of desert male goats. Fifteen growing bucks of Marwari breed were divided into three groups of 5 each, forming Control-To Treatment -T1 and Treatment T2 Animals of control (To) were let out for grazing on Cenchrus dominated protected pasture for six and half hours daily with no supplementation. Whereas, animals of T1 and T2 groups were completely stall fed with ad libitum masoor straw and 1.2 kg of wheat bran daily. In addition to this, animals of T1 group were offered with ad libitum Ardu leaves, while T2 group with neem leaves. The dry matter intake/100 kg body weight for T1 and T2 groups were 4.03 and 3.97 kg, respectively. Average dry matter intake through Ardu leaves was non significantly higher than the neem leaves. The average daily gain of T0 T1 and T2 was 37.0, 92.0 and 82.4 gm. The glucose level of the group maintained on free grazing and Ardu leaves were significantly higher than the neem leaves group, however, the means of other blood parameters were within range. Thus the feeding of top feeds; Ardu and neem leaves to goat showed high acceptability and palatability, however, dry matter intake and average daily gain (ADG) was more in animals fed on ardu leaves compared to neem leaves.