Nutritional Evaluation of Silvopastoral System in Lambs and Kids

Nutritional evaluation of silvopastoral system was carried on 5 each growing male Jalauni lambs and Sirohi kids. The silvopastoral system had Leucaena leucocephala as tree and Dichrostachys cinerea. a shrub with understorey vegetation of perennial and danual grasses as well as forbs. Top foliage had medium to high CP (13.1–22.8%) and optimum NDF (29.4–32.7%), where as forage (understorey vegetation) contained low to medium CP (4.1 -14.4%). DMI and digestibility of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF was significantly (P<0.01) higher in kids than lambs on feeding with foliage and forage of silvopastoral system fed by cut and carry method. Absorbed and retained N^{(g day-1)} was also higher in kids, however positive N balance was observed in both the species. Significantly (P<0.05) higher daily weight gain (ADG) was observed in kids than lambs. Nitrogen metabolites (NH₃-N, total-N and TCA soluble-N mg 100ml⁻¹) concentration in rumen liquor was significantly (P<0.05) higher in lambs vis-à-vis kids, whereas TVFA concentration (meq/1) was comparable among the species. Protozoa and fungi populations in rumen fluid were significantly (P<0.01) higher in kids than lambs. The results indicated that the lambs and kids could be maintained with optimum ADG on L. leucocephala and D. cinere abased silvopastoral system.