Abstract:
ABSTRACT. The objective of the present study was to find the effect of feeding of
Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) leaf meal blocks on intake, live weight gain and milk yield of
dairy cows. Two types of Gliricidia leaf meal blocks (B1 and B2) were prepared and
compared with a control diet of grass and straw. Gliricidia leaf meal blocks were prepared
using Gliricidia leaf meal, coconut (Cocos nucifera) poonac and rice (Oryza sativa) bran. A
feeding trial was conducted according to 3x3 Latin square design using lactating cows.
Treatments were basal diet (T1), basal diet with B1 (T2) and basal diet with B2 (T3). Basal
diet consisted of Brachiaria brizantha, Coimbatoor 3 (Pennisetum perpureum x Pennisetum
americarnum) and rice straw. Data were statistically analyzed using general linear model
procedure in SAS version 8. Average dry matter intake of cows fed with both types of blocks
were higher (p<0.05) compared to control diet. Similarly, live weight gain of cows fed with
Gliricidia leaf meal blocks were also higher compared to the group fed with the control diet.
Milk production was not affected by treatments. However, average milk production of cows
fed with T3 (basal feed + B2) was significantly (p<0.05) higher (2.4 L/day/cow) than the
other two treatments. Therefore, Gliricidia leaf meal block (B2) prepared with coconut
poonac and rice bran can be recommended as the best block having favourable nitrogen and
energy balance among the three diets, to be used with a roughage diet for indigenous cross
bred cows.
