Indian Journal of Animal Nutrition

Eight adult female goats (25-28m; 29.5-35.5 kg) were fed on ingadulcis (Pithecellobonium dulce) and babul (Acacia nilotica) dried leaves for 40 d. The digestibility coefficients of Ingadulcis and babul leaves were : DM, 52.66, 61.33; OM, 59.38, 68.14; CP, 71.86,72.96; CF, 33.05, 42.95; EE, 41.98,47.19 and NFE, 62.28,71.65, respectively. The daily DMI (kg), % of body weight and g/kg W^0.75 were 1.13, 3.46 and 83.10 for Ingadulcis and 0.53, 1.57 and 39.00 for babul, respectively. The rumen retention time and mean retention time respectively, for Ingadulcis leaves were 65.9 and 53.8 h and for babul leaves 71.2 and 59.6 h. The per cent TDN and DCP, respectively were 57.01 and 16.17 in Ingadulcis and 66.46 and 10.21 in babul leaves. The corresponding NVI was 58.85 and 29.92.