NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
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Bucks, England.
STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CREEPERS
A NEW RAIN-FED, HIGH PROTEIN PHOSPHORUS-RICH PLANT
By S. K. TALAPATRA AND C. S. BARSAUL, U. P. College of Veterinary Science and
Animal Husbandry, Mathura
Received for publication on May 15, 1956
[Accepted for publication on December 18, 1956]
I T is now generally agreed that an acute shortage of protein-rich feeds in the
dietary is primarily responsible for the poor condition of our cattle. It has
been estimated [Human nutrition vis-a-vis animal nutrition in India, 1953] that
the country as a whole is short of protein-rich concentrates at least to the extent of
about 75 per cent.
Attempts have been made in the past [Dasgupta, 1943] to replace concentrates
from the ration of milch and growing animals with leguminous roughages. The
results of these investigations tend to show that when 75 per cent of the concentrates
is replaced by legume hays, animals grow at a much slower rate than those receiving
a full quota of concentrates.
Now it appears most convincing [N. R. C. report on dairy cattle, 1950] that
during early growth an exclusive feeding of low phosphorus/high calcium legume or
the incorporation in the diet a large proportion of it creates conditions that are at
least not very favourable for such animals to record their full size as dictated by
heredity. It is obvious that 7-8 lb. of green legumes like berseem (Trifolium alexan-
drinum) or similar feeds will be needed to supply one gram of phosphorus (P). To
provide, therefore, enough of this element during the active period of growth, it
may be necessary to feed about 80-100 lb. of these feeds, which obviously is beyond
the capacity of such young calves to consume.
Furthermore, an abnormally wide calcium to phosphorus ratio as 10 :1, nor-
mally found in most of these legumes, specially when raised in highly alkaline soils
rich in calcium, appears to be another limiting factor.
In a preliminary study, it has been observed that when all concentrates are
replaced by green legume or its equivalent hay and the whole ration made otherwise
adequate for growth by introducing sufficient phosphorus deficient straws, growth
is severely restricted and maturity very much delayed in cattle. While the control
animals on a diet of concentrates, straws and a little green (5 lb.) registered their
usual height and showed oestrus at the age of about 26 months; identical animals
under legume and straw feeding, even at a higher plane of protein nutrition failed
to show any sign of oestrus at the age of four years in seven out of eight instances.
They also looked very much smaller than those fed with concentrates. The content
45
82AR/56
1
June, 1957]
S.
K.
TALAPATRA
AND
C.
S.
BARSAUL
47
TABLE I
The chemical composition of the creeper
Nurtients
Crude protein
Calcium
Phosphorus
Oil or other extract
Chemical composition of
the
plant
with
progressive maturity
under controlled condi-
tions in experimenta
plots
First
cut
17-8-55
20.7
1.32
0.32
..
Second
cut
25-9-55
13.7
0.90
0.37
..
Third
cut
22-10-55
12.1
0.92
0.48
..
Chemical composition of the plant grow-
ing in a wild state collected at random
from different localities between 8th
September and 22nd October 1955
Sample
No. 1
8-9-55
12.3
0.91
0.48
3.00
Sample
No. 2
25-9-55
13.7
0.90
0.37
..
Sample
No. 3
29-9-55
11.2
1.06
0.42
3.50
Sample
Nov 4
1-10-55
13.0
1.00
0.45
..
Sample
No. 5
22-10-55
12.1
0.95
0.43
..
Distribution of
nutrients in leaf
meal and stem
on 25th Sept.
1955 from a plot
manured
with
cow dung
Leaf
meal
19.0
1.44
0.56
..
Stem
5.2
0.86
0.65
..
Composition of
immature and
mature seed
Immatu-
re seed
21.69
0.21
0.70
9.90
Mature
seed
30.19
0.38
1.03
11.10
Composition
of the plant
when new
growth allow-
ed after the
first cut
under
controlled
conditions
in experi-
mental plots
28-9-55
17.6
1.00
0.43
48
STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CREEPERS [Vol. XXVII, Part II
The important point which goes to make this plant be valuable is that
unlike the legumes it is also rich in phosphorus with an ideal calcium to phosphorus
ratio. The average content of phosphorus in berseem or similar feeds grown on
alkaline soils, where they seem to thrive best, is about 0.2 per cent on dry matter,
while under less favourable conditions this plant provides very nearly 2 to 2½ times
more of this element than most of the protein-rich roughages (about 1 per cent P 2 O 5 ).
This ability of the plant to utilise phosphorus from a desert-like soil, highly alkaline
and saline is definitely in favour of its introduction in Indian agriculture.
It may be seen from the data given in Table I that most of the samples can
very easily be compared with some grains and other concentrates in its content of
phosphorus. During the early growth when seeds are not formed, the phosphorus
content of the plant is slightly lower, because both the immature and mature seeds
are high in this element. It is definitely rich in calcium (about 1 per cent) and
shows almost a uniform level of this mineral during its entire life cycle. The per-
centage of oil (about 10 per cent) present in the mature and immature seeds has been
shown in column 5, while the same figure (about 3.5 per cent) for the plant itself
in column 3.
It has been estimated that 50 per cent of the whole plant (on dry matter)
consists only of high protein leaves. A few estimations of the amide nitrogen are
shown below:
TABLE IA
The amide content of the plant
Total N per cent)
Albuminoid N per cent
Amide N per cent
Amide N as per cent of total N
1st cut sample
in mid August
(on dry
matter)
3.31
2.83
0.48
14.5
Last cut
sample in
October
(on dry matter)
1.79
1.63
0.16
8.9
Woodman [loc. cit.] has recorded in various green feeds such as barley, oats and
pasture grasses amide N as 11 to 15 per cent of the total N. Although amide N,
according to the same author may constitute as much as 60 per cent of the total N
in some root crops, in this particular instance the author's findings, as shown
in Table IA, are in agreement with those obtained by Woodman in British pastures
and other green feeds. It may be mentioned here that on an exclusive feeding of
succulent green feeds, the digestible crude protein of the feed cannot possibly be
relied upon as a safe guide, because of the fact that the conversion of non-protein
nitrogenous compounds into protein bodies by microbial activity is extremely slow
and is largely conditioned by the presence or absence of refractory carbohydrates
in the diet. As is well known, the usual British practice here is to use what is termed
as "protein equivalent". Thus the requirement of green feeds for growth, milk
production and similar body functions should be considerably more than is normally
recommended in this country. From this standpoint the low content of amides
June, 1957] S. K. TALAPATRA AND C. S. BARSAUL 49
in any green feed should, in general, be preferred to those high in amides. It is
obvious from the data shown in TABLE IA that the content of amide N is definitely
lower than usually found in most of the protein-rich feeding stuffs. It may further
be seen that as usual the content of the amide decreased with maturity.
The palatability of the new feed as measured by dry matter consumption per
100 lb. body weight with different species and categories of farm animals is shown in
Table II. The average body-weight of the experimental animals was 830, 800,
1,000, 450 and 86 lb. respectively for bullocks, milch cows, milch buffaloes
bull calves and sheep.
TABLE II
Dry matter consumption by different species and categories of farm animals
Bullocks
(sample fed at 16
per cent D.M. in September)
(lb.)
2.3
2.0
2.0
..
Average
2.1
Milch cows
(sample fed at
20 per cent D.M.
in October)
(lb.)
1.8
1.8
1.9
..
1.8
Milch buffaloes
(sample fed at
20 per cent D.M.
in October)
(lb.)
2.1
2.2
2.2
..
2.2
Bull calves
(sample fed at
16 per cent D.M.
in September)
(lb.)
2.0
1.9
2.0
1.9
2.0
Sheep
(sample fed at
16 per cent D. M.
in September)
(lb.)
2.3
2.7
2.7
2.3
2.5
The average dry matter consumption by different farm animals may be con-
sidered very satisfactory. In the case of milch cows, the consumption is slightly
less, because the sample fed to these animals was of a poor quality, mostly collected
from jowar fields after the harvesting of the crop. It may be seen from the above
data that at the comparatively early stage in September the bullocks consumed over
100 lb. ; while the calves and sheep about 56 and 13 lb. respectively of the green
feed. During the course of these investigations, it was also noticed that 16 months
old calves could easily clear up about 25 lb. of the green feed in less than 3 hours
time.
II. E V A L U A T I O N O F T H E F E E D A S A
GREEN
FODDER
For the purpose of evaluation, two species namely, adult bullocks and sheep
were taken as experimental subjects. After the usual preliminary feeding period
urine and faeces were collected by the technique followed at the Animal Nutrition
50
STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CREEPERS [Vol. XXVII, Part II,
Division of the Indian Veterinary Research Institute at Izatnagar. The chemical
composition of the green feeds on dry matter basis fed to two groups of experimental
animals is shown below :
Crude protein
Ether extract
Ash
Crude fibre
Nitrogen-free extract
Calcium
Phosphorus
Sample fed to
sheep
12.27
3.00
10.29
26.23
48.21
0.917
0.479
Sample fed to
bullocks
11.15
3.50
10.23
26.18
48.94
1.060
0.422
Both the samples may be considered identical in chemical make-up. In the
sample fed to sheep, both mature and immature seeds were found in the pods, which
they specially picked up and relished. The trial with bullocks was conducted after
the experiment with sheep was over, hence more mature seeds were found in the pods.
Compared to most of the indigenous and cultivated fodder grasses, it appeared to
be low in fibre and rich in two of the most vital mineral elements. In Table III are
shown the digestibility co-efficients of the various nutrients.
Both the species digested food nutrients almost equally well except the crude
protein and nitrogen-free extract. Although the sample fed to sheep contained
about 10 per cent more of protein than the one fed to bullocks, even then 11 per
cent increase in protein digestibility in sheep of an apparently identical sample of
feed was considered to be a bit too high. During the course of our metabolism ex-
periments, it was observed that the hard seeds containing over 30 per cent of protein
were not properly masticated by the bullocks, some of which were excreted in the
faeces practically un-altered, while no such materials were found in the faeces of
sheep. Thus the sheep utilised the seeds of the plant better than the
bullocks. It may be mentioned here that in most of the Cambridge trials [Wood-
man, 1948] sheep were used as experimental subjects. Obviously under certain con-
ditions of feeding such a procedure may slightly overestimate the value of the feed
specially with regard to proteins and probably nitrogen-free extract, as the seeds
in general are high in these nutrients. For this reason, the digestibility of ether
extract should have been more in the case of sheep, because the seeds are also rich
in oil. It may be seen from the results of chemical analysis given above that the
sample fed to bullocks contained about 17 per cent more of the ether extract than
the one fed to sheep and thus there was a sort of compensatory effect.
June, 1957]
S.
K.
TALAPATRA
AND
C.
S.
BARSAUL
51
TABLE
III
Digestibility coefficients of the feed
Particulars
Sheep
Bullocks
Animal
number
1
2
3
4
Average
1
2
3
Average
Dry
matter
68.0
66.0
68.0
65.0
66.8
60.0
63.0
59.0
60.7
Crude
protein
73.6
71.7
72.7
71.6
72.4
63.0
66.6
65.7
65.1
Ether
extract
61.6
57.5
57.0
57.8
58.5
60.0
62.1
55.0
59.0
Crude
fibre
52.7
51.0
53.0
50.0
51.7
50.0
52.2
49.0
50.4
N-free
extract
80.0
77.8
79.2
76.3
78.3
71.2
74.0
72.0
72.4
Total
carbohydrates
70.6
68.4
71.4
67.2
69.4
64.0
66.5
63.2
64.6
52
STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CREEPERS [Vol. XXVII, Part II,
The balance of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus has been shown in Table IV,
The heavy retention of nitrogen in the case of bullocks is purely of a temporary
nature, which is usually to be found when adult animals are kept on a high plane of
protein nutrition [Talapatra, loc. cit. ]
TABLE IV
The balance of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus
Particulars
Sheep
Animal
number
Intake
(gm.)
Excretion (gm.)
Faeces
Urine
Total
(gm.)
Nitrogen
1
2
3
4
17.4
20.0
21.3
17.2
4.6
5.7
5.8
4.9
8.0
10.0
11.1
9.2
12.6
15.7
16.9
14.1
+4.8
+4.3
+4.4
+3.1
Calcium
1
2
3
4
8.12
9.35
10.00
8.03
6.66
8.45
8.74
7.50
0.45
0.52
0.60
0.30
7.11
8.97
9.34
7.80
+ 1.01
+ 0.38
+0.66
+0.23
Phosphorus
1
2
3
4
4.24
4.89
5.22
4.20
3.85
4.19
4.38
4.12
0.02
0.02
0.01
0.03
3.87
4.21
4.39
4.15
+0.37
+0.68
+0.83
+0.05
June, 1957] S. K. TALAPATRA AND C. S. BARSAUL 53
TABLE IV—(contd).
The balance of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus
Particulars
Bullocks
Animal
number
Intake
(gm.)
Excretion (gm.)
Faeces
Urine
Total
Balance
(gm.)
Nitrgen
1
2
3
145.9
141.8
137.7
54.3
47.5
47.3
70.4
66.5
81.3
124.7
114.0
128.6
+21.2
+27.8
+9.1
Calcium
1
2
3
86.71
84.27
81.83
81.24
80.27
80.09
0.90
1.67
0.60
82.14
81.94
80.69
+4.57
+ 2.33
+ 1.14
Phosphorus
1
2
3
34.52
33.55
32.58
31.26
26.08
29.20
0.08
0.10
0.09
31.34
26.18
29.29
+3.18
+7.37
+3.29
III. E V A L U A T I O N O F T H E F E E D A S A
HAY
From a perusal of the data given in Table I, it appears that it is an ideal fodder
for conservation in the form of hay. Towards the end of October when weather
conditions are favourable for hay making in this part, it contains on dry matter
about 13 per cent of protein, 1.0 per cent calcium (1.4 per cent CaO) and 0.45 per
cent phosphorus (1.04 per cent P 2 O 5 ).
Sufficient quantity of the green fodder at 20 per cent dry matter, growing in a
wild state round about the place, was collected during the early part of October and
spread in the sun at 12 P.M.; at 2 P.M. a turn was given and the fodder allowed to
dry in clear sunshine till 4 P.M. At this stage the dry matter of the plant rose from
20 to 32 per cent. The entire lot was then transferred and heaped loosely over a
structure in a conical shape under a shed. It may be mentioned here that investi-
gations on hay making in Assam [Talapatra, 1950] have shown that the dry matter
82 AR/56
2
64
STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CREEPERS [Vol. XXVII, Part II,
of the grass should be raised to at least 55 to 60 per cent before it could be safely
stored over a tripod, but in this particular instance the dry matter of the plant at
the time of storage was only about 32 per cent, as it was considered that in a dry
climate it should be possible to prepare good quality hay by this method. Compared
to 80 inches rainfall in Assam, the average in this part is only about 15 inches. Be-
cause of this low humidity, it was expected that even a simple procedure like the
one described above should give satisfactory results and retain sufficient green colour
in the hay so as to supply enough of carotene during the scarcity period.
Contrary to expectation, shortly after the transfer of the fodder to the shed,
the weather turned unusually bad and then there was a heavy and widespread
rainfall for the next three days. Thus the weather turned highly humid at least for
a few days. From the climatological data, it appears, that this kind of weather
was never been experienced in this part during the last 10 years. However, in spite
of adverse weather conditions, the fodder dried up to 80 per cent dry matter in about
8 days time and retained considerable green colour even after 4 months of storage.
The creeper when loosely packed and piled up in the form of a cone, allows suffi-
cient aeration for quick drying. The hay thus prepared, (as will be shown later)
was very much relished by both sheep and cattle ; whereas the same plant when
turned into hay in the open by the usual method was not at all relished by the sheep,
though the bull calves consumed about 7 lb. of the withered stuff. It will be of
considerable interest to know the extent the nutritive value of the hay affected
when a green fodder is stored at 32 per cent dry matter. It maybe mentioned here
that the low humidity and dry climate of the region are, in general, favourable for
green hay-making and it should be possible, with little modifications in the procedure,
to prepare in these or similar areas hay which should be comparable with artificially
dried grass. It is well-known that the high cost of drying the grass in machine
definitely goes against its adoption in this country.
For the purpose of evaluation four adult rams weighing on an average about
89 lb. were taken. After the usual preliminary feeding period, urine and faeces
were collected by the technique previously described. The feed consumption,
chemical composition, the digestibility coefficients and the balance of nitrogen,
calcium and phosphorus are shown in Tables V, VI, VII and VIII.
TABLE V
Palatability of the hay as measured by dry matter consumption
Animal
number
1
2
3
4
Body
weight
(lb.)
83
89
90
94
Dry matter
consumed
(lb.)
2.4
2.3
2.6
2.7
Dry matter
consumed
per 100 lb. body
weight
(1b.)
2.9
2.6
2.9
2.9
Average
consumption
(lb.)
2.82
June, 1957] S. K. TALAPATRA AND C. S. BARSAUL 55
TABLE VI
Chemical composition of the hay on dry matter basis (per cent)
Crude protein
Ether extract
Ash
Crude fibre
N-free extract
Total carbohydrates
Calcium
Phosphorus
13.58
3.50
11.88
27.02
44.02
71.04
1.480
0.344
TABLE VII
The digestibility coefficients of the hay
Animal
number
1
2
3
4
Average
Dry
matter
54
50
48
51
51
Crude
protein
57.1
57.4
54.0
60.0
57.1
Ether
extract
69.7
67.5
67.4
67.0
67.9
Crude
fibre
45.8
40.0
41.0
40.0
41.7
N-free
extract
59.8
56.0
53.2
59.1
57.0
Total
carbohy-
drates
54.5
50.2
48.7
51.0
51.1
56 STUDIES ON INDIGENOUS CREEPERS [Vol. XXVII, Part II,
TABLE VIII
The balance of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus
Animal
No.
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
1
2
3
4
Intake
(gm.)
Excretion
Faeces
(gm).
Urine
(gm.)
Total
(gm.)
Balance.
(gm.)
Nitrogen
24.0
23.5
25.6
26.6
10.3
10.0
11.9
10.7
11.9
13.3
13.2
14.1
22.2
23.4
25.1
24.8
+ 1.8
+0.2
+0.5
+ 1.8
Calcium
16.23
15.91
17.45
18.20
13.50
13.64
15.80
14.93
0.11
0.09
0.10
0.09
13.61
13.73
15.90
15.02
+2.62
+2.18
+1.55
+3.18
Phosphorus
3.92
3.85
4.17
4.31
3.42
3.80
4.10
3.75
0.01
0.01
0.02
0.02
3.43
3.81
4.12
3.77
+0.49
+0.04
+0.05
+0.54
June, 1957] S. K. TALAPATRA AND C. S. BARSAUL 57
From the perusal of the data set forth in Tables V, VI, VII and VIII it appears
that the consumption of the hay by the sheep was very satisfactory. The percen-
tage of phosphorus in the hay was slightly lower than previously observed. This
was due to the fact that during the course of transfer of the hay to the metabolism
shed and chaffing, there was some loss of seeds.
It may be seen from the data given in Table VII that the crude protein diges
tibility of the hay was affected and lowered by about 20 per cent. The crude protein
digestibility of the green feed by the sheep was about 72 per cent, as had been ob-
served earlier, while the same figure was now about 57 per cent. Obviously, the
three-day continuous rainfall at the time of storage and the subsequent high humi-
dity developed during this period was responsible for this loss in digestible protein.
Even then, it may be mentioned here [Talapatra, loc. cit.] that such results are only
obtained in the humid areas under a very specialised condition, viz. when the dry
matter of the plant is raised to about 60 per cent, that too in good weather and
over frames. In fact, in humid areas, even in good weather, when green fodder
was stored over frames at 30 per cent dry matter the entire hay was found to be
decomposed. [Talapatra, unpublished work.] The digestibility of the ether extract
had gone high from 60 per cent in the green fodder to about 68 per cent in the hay.
This might be due to the fact that the fully mature seeds in late October contained
over 10 per cent of oil. The digestibility of the crude fibre had also been lowered
by about 20 per cent, that is, from about 50 per cent in the green feed to about 40
per cent in the hay. Apparently, the plant is considerably lignified towards the
end of October when the hay was made.
The balance of nitrogen, calcium and phosphorus has been shown in Table VIII.
The data are self-explanatory.
IV. SOME PRACTICAL CONSIDERATIONS
From the average digestibility coefficients shown in previous Tables, the digestible
crude protein, starch equivalent and total digestible nutrients of the green fodder
and hay with two species namely, bullocks and sheep were calculated and are shown
in Table IX.
TABLE IX
Digestible nutrients per 100 lb. of raw material
Name of
the feed
Green
Ghiyabati at
16 per cent dry matter
Ghiyabati hay at 90
per cent dry matter
Experimental
subjects
Sheep
Bullocks
Sheep
Digesti-
ble crude
protein
(lb.)
1.43
1.20
7.0
Starch
equiva-
lent
(lb.)
8.9
8.3
30.0
Total
digesti-
ble nutri-
ents
(lb.)
10.3
9.7
45.0
Calcium
(per lb.
of the
material)
(gm.)
0.65
3.7
Phospho-
rus (per
lb.
of the
material)
(gm.)
0.33
1.8