Effect of feeding palas (Butea monosperma) leaves on performance of growing goats

Abstract

In order to know the effect of feeding palas leaf on growth performance of black Bengal goat kid, ninety days’ trials were conducted on 30 black Bengal growing goats of 3-4 month old. The average body weights were 7.01±1.12, 6.43± 1.07 and 7.07±1.28 kg in T1, T2 and T3, respectively. The group T1 was offered roughage and homemade concentrate feed in a ratio of 60:40, while groups T2 and T3 were fed homemade concentrate feed iso-nitrogenously replaced by Butea monosperma leaves at 12.5% and 25% levels, respectively. A growth trial of 90 days along with a 7-day digestion trial after 60 days of post feeding was conducted at Goat farm, Krishi Vigyan Kendra Banka, Bihar. The palas leaves had 13.76% crude protein, 32.72% crude fibre, 2.14% crude fat, 15.85% total ash, 5.35% silica, 3.21% calcium, 0.26% phosphorus on dry matter basis. The average body weight and average daily gain in the three groups (8.87±1.12, 8.67±1.02, 9.44±1.25 kg; 52.07±4.43, 60.50±7.46, 62.00±4.17g) were statistically non –significantly different. The FCR in relation to DM, CP, DCP and TDN were statistically non-significant. The blood haemato-biochemical parameters showing non -significant effect on feeding palas leaf. The parasitic load was reduced significantly in T2 and T3 group. It was concluded that the inclusion of Palas leaf as a replacement for up to 25% of concentrate mixture, on an iso-nitrogenous basis, has no detrimental effects on the nutritional and growth parameters of growing kids, rather, it reduces the parasitic load and promotes the animal wellbeing.