186
Tree Leaves as Cattle Fodder, I
Tree fodder.
Bans . . .
Paker . . .
Shisham . .
Pipal . . .
Neem . . .
Beri . . .
Imli . . .
Aam . . .
Jaman . . .
Bans . . .
Paker . . .
Shisham . .
Pipal . . .
Neem . . .
Beri . . .
Imli . . .
Aam . . .
Jaman . . .
Dry
matter
28.7
17.6
25.1
14.6
30.9
38.2
26.6
38.0
29.8
42.0
40.6
40.5
35.8
36.0
41.2
32.0
44.0
37.1
Crude
protein
Ether
extract
(Minimum)
15.96
8.48
11.22
10.58
13.08
13.26
12.77
7.02
6.58
22.31
10.18
16.65
13.99
15.04
15.41
15.42
8.08
7.94
1.22
1.80
2.03
2.09
1.43
1.48
2.13
1.63
1.05
Crude
fibre
18.38
12.82
12.48
12.22
9.99
10.39
16.79
21.34
16.98
(Average)
2.34
2.67
3.18
2.71
3.02
2.69
3.89
2.71
2.60
23.25
22.77
22.23
22.36
13.77
13.96
21.95
28.03
20.67
Nitro-
gen free
extract
32.94
44.83
42.97
41.99
52.72
55.02
47.80
45.56
56.26
38.64
52.24
49.40
46.02
57.03
57.90
50.57
50.57
61.68
The composition of tree leaves as fodders
In Table II is set out the maximum, minimum
and average value of each constitutent of the
individual tree leaves analyzed during one full
year of collection.
The data presented in Table II offer the oppor-
tunity of comparing the quality of the tree leaves
with those of common fodders and feeding stuffs
on the basis of their chemical composition [Sen,
1938]. The average dry matter content in tree
leaves may be considered as fairly high for green
fodders, in fact in most cases it is 50 per cent
higher than any green grass or other cultivated
green forage. The range of variation in the dry
matter values is also wide as can be judged from
the maximum and minimum figures. The high
crude protein content is an unique feature in tree
leaves. With the exception of aam and jaman,
the average percentage of crude protein in the
leaves is almost two to three times that of the best
quality cultivated and indigenous grasses, such as
napier, guinea, dub, anjan, etc. The amount of
this constituent in fact compares very favourably
with that from leguminous forages, such as berseem,
cowpea, lucerne, senji and shaftal. The maxi-
mum value of 31:47 per cent crude protein in
bans leaves is comparable to the crude protein
content of a concentrate such as linseed cake.
The range of variation in the crude protein content
of some of the leaves, e.g. bans, paker, shisham
and pipal is fairly wide; the maximum value is
practically double that of the minimum. Com-
pared with that of other green roughages, the
percentage ether extract of leaves may also be
considered high. The importance of this rela-
tively high value is, however, perhaps of little
significance since the greater portion of ether
extractable matter appeared to be chlorophyll
and other pigments. In spite of their high dry
matter content and apparent coarseness, the leaves
showed a lower crude fibre content than that of
the common green fodders. As a matter of fact,
at their more succulent stage, the leaves contain
practically the same amount of crude fibre as
concentrates such as cakes and grains. The per-
centage of nitrogen free extracts in the leaves may
also be considered high for green forages.
TABLE III
The maximum, minimum and average composition
of the mineral constituents of leaves
(On dry basis)
Tree fodder
Bans . . .
Paker . . .
Shisham . .
Pipal . . .
Neem . . .
Beri . . .
Imli . . .
Aam . . .
Jaman . . .
Bans . . .
Paker . . .
Shisham . .
Pipal . . .
Neem . . .
Beri . . .
Imli . . .
Aam . . .
Jaman . . .
Bans . . .
Paker . . .
Shisham . .
Pipal . . .
Neem . . .
Beri . . .
Imli . . .
Aam . . .
Jaman . . .
Total
ash
18.35
17.56
9.50
20.73
13.79
13.97
11.42
13.93
10.27
8.51
8.33
6.44
10.69
8.49
6.75
6.52
8.09
4.94
13.28
12.14
8.56
15.06
10.61
10.24
8.12
10.02
7.05
Lime
(CaO)
Phosphate
(P 2 O 5 )
(Maximum)
3.00
3.22
5.39
7.57
5.73
5.55
4.09
5.89
2.35
1.07
1.01
0.96
1.05
0.72
0.87
0.79
0.41
0.48
(Minimum)
0.93
1.14
1.17
2.89
2.18
2.09
1.93
1.71
1.26
0.24
0.42
0.28
0.34
0.33
0.36
0.36
0.23
0.16
(Average)
1.56
2.50
3.38
4.64
4.09
3.08
2.80
3.21
1.93
0.53
0.62
0.55
0.52
0.49
0.62
0.51
0.32
0.28
Lime/
Phosphate
3
3
5
7
8
6
5
13
5
4
3
4
8
6
6
5
7
8
3
4
6
9
8
5
5
10
7
In Table III is shown the composition of the
minerals in the leaves, namely total ash, lime and
phosphate. There is nothing remarkable in the
composition of the ash; the maximum, the
minimum and the average values may be con-
sidered to be within normal variation met with in