Department of Animal Nutrition, Orissa University of Agriculture & Technology, Bhubaneswar-751003, India
Online published on 20 January, 2012.
Six Black Bengal goats were fed exclusively on ugasti (Sesbania grandiflora) leaves which were found to be rich in protein (35.08 per cent CP) and low in fibre (11.93 per cent CF) and tannin (1.90 per cent). The DM intake was 3.50 ± 0.06 kg/100 kg body weight. The digestion co-efficients of DM, CP, CF, EE and NFE were 72.73 ± 0.91, 80.40 ± 0.86, 76.65 ± 0.76, 32.57 ± 1.28 and 84.25 ± 0.66, respectively. The average gain in body weight was 42.86 g per day. All the goats were in positive N, Ca and P balances. The DCP and TDN contents of the leaves were 27.71 and 72.87 per cent, respectively, suggesting that the agasti leaves could serve as a good fodder for growth in goats.
