Development of a Leguminous Leaf Meal Blocks as an Animal Feed

Abstract

The present study was carried out with the objective of develoing a leguminous leaf meal (LM) block as an animal feed. Leguminous leaf meals were prepared from sun dried leaves and twigs of Acacia mangium (Acacia), Gliricidia sepium (Gliricidia), Leucaena leucocephala (Leucaena) and Calliandra calothyrsus (Calliandra). Nine recipes were prepared by adding coconut (Cocos nusifera) poonac, rice (Oryza sativa) bran, salt and a preservative (Sodium Meta Bi Sulphite) in different proportions. These LM preparations were pressed into briquettes and stored for three months under room temperature. Complete Randomized Design (CRD) was used in this experiment. Two blocks were weighed and samples were analyzed for free fatty acid content (FFA) and Total Plate Count (TPC) each month to decide the length of storage period. Cost of production was calculated for each recipe. Data were statistically analyzed by repeated measure analysis using SPSS version 13 and means were separated by Duncan’s Multiple Range test. Gliricidia and Leucaena leaf meals formed a tightly packed briquette when hydraulic pressure was applied compared to those prepared using Acacia and Calliandra. Further, Gliricidia leaf meal had the lowest (P< 0.05) FFA content while Leucaena had the highest (p<.05). Hence, Gliricidia leaf meal was selected as the best leaf meal. Gliricidia recipe 3 (Gliricidia leaf meal 75% + Coconut poonac 25%) and recipe 7 (Gliricidia leaf meal 75% + Rice bran 12.5% + Coconut poonac 12.5%) had the highest ether extract (EE) and crude fibre (CF) percentages and the lowest cost of production, which was Rs 30.00. Therefore, these two Gliricidia leaf meal recipes were selected as the best two recipes.