Ten healthy growing female animals, five each of Sonadi sheep and Devgarhi goats were fed ardu (Ailanthus excelsa) green leaves as a sole feed for 60 days. The ardu leaves contained 87.9, 15.7, 14.2 and 3.6% organic matter, crude protein, crude fiber and ether extract, respectively. The intake of ardu leaves by sheep and goats as per cent of body weight, respectively was 3.82 and 3.97, respectively. The digestibility of DM, OM and that of CF was significantly (P<0.05) higher in goats than that in sheep. The 5% excreation time, rumen retention time and mean retention time, respectively were 17.0, 62.20 and 45.20 h for sheep and 18.60, 54.0 and 44.79 h for goats, the differences between species were nonsignificant. Nutritive value of ardu green leaves, for sheep, was 13.32% DCP and 63.36% TDN while, for goats was 13.44% DCP and 64.87% TDN. Non-significant difference was observed in nutritive value of ardu green leaves between the species. It was concluded that ardu leaves could meet the basal maintenance requirements of both the species.
Ardu leaves, Nutritive value, Sheep, Goat
