Tree fodder : An alternate source of quality fodder in Himachal Pradesh

Abstract

Though India possesses huge livestock population, the productivity is low mainly due to malnutrition. The utilization of tree foliage as an alternative or supplementary feed to the available grass fodder is one of the useful method to solve the scarcity of quality feed for the livestock. Tree foliages are increasingly considered as potential protein and energy supplements to increase productivity by ruminants. The foliages have high digestibility, good vitamin and mineral content and they enhance the microbial growth and digestion of cellulosic biomass in the rumen of livestock. In some foliages, presence of anti-nutritional compounds like tannins, phenolics, glycosides, alkaloids, triterpenes, oxalic acids etc. reduce their nutrient quality, which can be taken care of by proper alleviation methods. India being rich in diversity of foliage trees has an enormous potential of using tree foliage as a basal feed or forage supplement.