Poster |
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On-Farm Evaluation of Tree-Leaf Supplementation
using Leucaena
F.G. Gabunada Jr., A..P. Obusa, E.A.
Espinosa and A.G. Gozo ABSTRACT A study was conducted to supplement tree leaves as feed for goats especially during the dry season. L. leucocephala and G. arborea are the most abundant tree leaves that naturally thrive in the upland Matalom, Leyte. Farmers’ observed that by utilizing these tree leaves increased in the liveweight gain was obtained compared to the animals fed with no supplementation
INTRODUCTION Goats raised in the upland Matalom, Leyte subsist mainly on limited and poor quality forages. These are tethered to graze in native vegetation, which are often overgrazed. The vegetation dies off in the dry season further limiting the quantity and quality of feed. Farmers often cope up with this problem by letting the animals grazed over the area independently. Some resort to use of tree leaves but only a limited extend. Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala) and Gmelina (Gmelina arborea) are two most common trees existing in Matalom. The use of these leaves as supplement to goats has not yet been fully tested and documented. This study attempts to find out the benefits and constraints on the
use of tree leaves as supplement to goats raised under traditional management
by smallholder upland farmers in Matalom, MATERIALS AND METHODS The on-farm experiment was conducted with the smallholder farmers in the uplands of Matalom, Leyte,participated by smallholder farmers’ from March 16 to June 10, 1998. Three groups of farmers were involved in the study. Each group consists of three farmers each having three goats. Each group used specific tree species as supplement feed for their goats. One group used Leucaena leucacephala while the other used Gmelina arborea. The third group served as the control group. The amount of tree leaves supplement offered was 1 kg per animal. The supplement was offered in the afternoon. The goats were weighed every two weeks. A workshop was conducted with farmer to get their comments and suggestions as well as their observations from the experiment being conducted. DISCUSSION The results showed that goats obtained an average daily gain (ADG) of 38 g with L. leucocephala and 37 g with G. arborea compared to 28 g in the control (no supplementation) over 98-day period feeding trial. These ADGs was translated to weight gain advantage of 36.44% for leucaena supplementation and 32.65% for G. arborea supplementation. Farmers commented that there were times when they could not provide the animals with supplemented feed everyday. The major reason was due to seasonal lack of labor caused by the demand in other farm activities like land cultivation. Farmers reported that their goats were naturally able to feed on L. leucocephala and G. arborea, since these forages are naturally abundant in the area. The weight gains therefore do not reflect the actual quantitative extent of the advantage of L. leucocephala or G. arborea supplementation. However, the results can be taken as more realistic under the traditional tethered goat management characterized by lack of control in grazing. There is therefore a need to schedule supplement provision to assure good intake. Farmers observed low palatability of G. arborea leaves to goats. However, goats ate the fruits and flowers of this species. L. leucocephala was observed to be reasonably palatable to goats.Table 1. Weight gain of goats under traditional management supplemented with leucaena and Gmelina leaves (98 day period).
Furthermore, farmers reported
that goats tended to select young leaves of this species. Moreover,
farmers expressed their concern for the animals due to psyllid infested
leaves might have deleterious effect on the goats. Another constraint
identified by farmers in the use of G. arborea leaves is the
difficulty in gathering leaves especially from big trees. Finally,
during the flowering and fruiting season, leaves of this species are
scarce. The problem of mortality has not been solved by supplementation.
This implies the need for other management interventions in order
to improve overall performance of goats under traditional management.
CONCLUSION Supplementation of tree leaves under traditional management
to goats during dry season resulted to higher liveweight
gain. G. arborea and L. leucocephala
are naturally abundant in the locality, thus this forages are readily
available, farmers should be responsible in initiating proper
schedule in feeding the animals to prevent low intake as well as to
suppress incidence of mortality.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The author thanks the Regional Working Group on Grazing and Feed Resources of the FAO through Dr. Stephen Reynolds and Mr. Francisco A. Moog, The Forages for Smallholder Project of CIAT as well as the Visayas State College of Agriculture (ViSCA, now the Leyte State University) for their support in making this work possible. |