Effect of Gliricidia (Gliricidia sepium) Leaf Meal Blocks on Intake, Live Weight Gain and Milk Yield of Dairy Cows

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.