Utilisation of lemon (Citrus limon) and loquat (Eribotrya japonica) tree leaves alone or with NH3-treated straw for goats

• Published in: Journal of the science of food and agriculture Vol. 77; no. 1; pp. 133 - 139
• Main Authors: Hernández, Fuensanta, Madrid, Josefa, Cerón, José J, Pulgar, María A, Cid, José M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 01.05.1998; Wiley; Published for the Society of Chemical Industry by Elsevier Applied Science
• Subjects: ammonia treated straw; Animal productions; Biological and medical sciences; digestibility; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Terrestrial animal productions; tree leaves; Vertebrates; Farming animal; Ruminant animal; Nutritive value; Rosaceae; Rutaceae; Plant leaf; Straw; Ammonia; Citrus limon; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Chemical treatment; Dicotyledones; Angiospermae; Spermatophyta; Goat; Chemical composition; Artiodactyla; Ungulata; Comparative study; Feed; Digestibility
• ISSN: 0022-5142; 1097-0010
• DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0010(199805)77:1<133::AID-JSFA12>3.0.CO;2-U

Data are presented on the chemical composition and nutritive value of the leaves of the lemon (Citrus limon) and loquat (Eribotrya japonica) trees. Twenty‐four castrated male Murciano‐Granadina goats were used in 10 digestibility trials. The digestibility of untreated straw and straw treated with ammonia was measured in two trials, and in eight trials (4 trials×2 periods) lemon or loquat leaves were fed at levels of 25, 50, 75 and 100% in a diet with NH3‐treated barley straw. Crude protein (CP) contents were slightly higher for lemon tree leaves (11·2%), since the treated straw had a lower protein concentration (6·9%). CF, NDF and ADF contents in the leaves were lower than in the treated straw. Digestibility of OM and CP in treated straw was lower than in the leaves of either tree. In contrast, CF, NDF, ADF and cellulose digestibilities of the leaves were lower than that of NH3‐treated straw. The level of leaf inclusion in the diet significantly affected (P<0·05) DM, OM, CP and fibre digestibility, and DM intake. Diets including lemon leaves showed higher DM, OM, CP and NDF digestibilities than those with loquat leaves, but the DM intake was not affected (P>0·05) by the type of leaves. Results from the present study suggest that tree leaves can be used as a roughage source instead of NH3‐treated barley straw, with no adverse effect on intake or digestibility for goats. © 1998 SCI.