Pathoummalangsy et al., 2008. Livest. Res. Rur. Dev., 20 (Suppl.)

Three feeding experiments were conducted to determine the feed intake, apparent digestibility and nitrogen retention of growing goats fed with Tithonia diversifolia and supplemented with rumen fermentable protein (cassava root chips and mulberry leaves) and bypass proteins (banana leaves, jackfruit leaves, erythrina leaves and mulberry leaves). The first experiment utilized four goats to determine the effect of T. diversifolia which were supplemented with cassava chips or mulberry leaves and its combination on the nitrogen retention of the animals. The second experiment used four goats which were ad libitum fed with T. diversifolia fresh foliage or hay and supplemented with cassava root chips and mulberry leaves to determine its effect on the feed intake of the animals. Lastly, the third experiment was conducted to determine the nitrogen retention and weight gains of four growing goats which were fed with T. diversifolia and supplemented with four sources of bypass protein from banana leaves, jackfruit leaves, erythrina leaves and mulberry leaves. Results revealed that supplementation in the first feeding experiment did not affect the intake of T. diversifolia, but the protein intake was highest in goats supplemented with mulberry leaves. Nitrogen intake was lowest in goats fed with T. diversifolia and supplemented with cassava chips. Nitrogen retention was also lowest in goats fed only with T. diversifolia. The feed intake in the second experiment was highest in goats fed with fresh foliage of T. diversifolia, and supplementation increased the feed intake of goats. The coefficients of apparent digestibility for DM, OM, CP and NDF were lowest in T. diversifolia fed as hay. Nitrogen retention did not differ between fresh and sun-dried T. diversifolia, but increased when supplemented with cassava chips and mulberry leaves. The third experiment showed that the highest nitrogen retention was observed on the mulberry supplemented diets, followed by jackfruits, erythrina and lowest in diet with banana leaves. Liveweight gain was highest in mulberry supplemented diets and lowest in T. diversifolia with banana leaves. It is suggested that tree foliages can be fed with goats provided that they are supplemented to enhance intake, digestibility and nitrogen retention.