BASHIST, ROHITRAVI, KANT2017-03-282017-03-282016http://krishikosh.egranth.ac.in/handle/1/5810006291ABSTRACT The present investigation entitled “Nutritional evaluation of the Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit (leucaena) fodder and effect of its supplementation on growth performance of crossbred calves” was carried out in the dairy farm and laboratory of Department of Silviculture and Agroforestry, Dr. Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni, Solan (H.P.) during 2015-2016 with the objectives to study the monthly variation in the nutritive value of leafy fodder of Leucaena leucocephala and to study the effect of Leucaena leucocephala leaves feeding on the growth performance and haemotological profile of crossbred calves. The composite samples of Leucaena leucocephala leaves were collected at monthly intervals from the month of August to January to assess the monthly variation in different nutritional parameters of Leucaena leucocephala leaves. To study the effect of Leucaena leucocephala leaves feeding on growth performance of the crossbred calves, total of 12 crossbred calves (6 months-1yr) from the dairy section of UHF Nauni were divided into two equal groups on the basis of body weight, with 6 animals in each group. The feeding trail or growth trial of 4 months was conducted at dairy farm of UHF Nauni. The animals of treatment group were supplemented with Leucaena leucocephala @ 10% of dry matter intake/animal/day. All the animals under experiment were weighed and blood samples were collected before the beginning of the feeding trial and subsequently on fortnightly intervals to assess the changes in live weight and hematological profile. The present study revealed that the nutritional attributes of leaves of Leucaena leucocephala varied markedly among different months of leaves collection. The dry matter (33.20 to 36.01%), crude fibre (14.11 to 18.44%), ether extract (3.40 to 6.04%), NDF (34.52 to 39.37%), ADF (18.31 to 23.11%), total ash (6.68 to 8.23%), acid insoluble ash (0.81 to 1.42%) and calcium (0.82 to 1.18%) increased significantly with the maturity of Leucaena leucocephala leaves from August to January. While, crude protein (23.22 to 17.85%), nitrogen free extract (52.59 to 49.45%), phosphorus (0.30 to 0.23%), tannin content (2.77 to 0.94%) and mimosine content (3.80 to 2.74%) decreased significantly with the maturity of Leucaena leucocephala leaves from August to January. The weight gain (32.97Kg) and average daily gain (274.7 6gm) was recorded higher in the treatment group as compared to the weight gain (29.91 Kg) and average daily gain (249.49gm) of control group. Mean Hb concentration was higher in crossbred calves of treatment group (10.25 g/dl) as compared to the crossbred heifers of control group (10.16g/dl). Mean blood glucose and blood total protein level was significantly higher in the treatment group (45.08 mg/dl and 75.91 g/litre) of animals as compared to the control group (43.69 mg/dl and 73.86 g/litre). While the mean blood creatinine level was higher in control group (118.89 μmol/litre) as compared to the treatment group (117.85 μmol/litre) and the mean blood urea level was higher in treatment group (4.93 μmol/litre) as compared to the control group (4.89 μmol/litre). The study concluded that a significant monthly variation was observed in the nutritive value of Leucaena leucocephala leaves with the maturity of leaves from August to January. Leucaena leucocephala leaves feeding @ 10% of dry matter intake/animal/day did not have any adverse effect on the growth performance and haematological profile of the crossbred calves and the values of different parameters were well within the normal physiological range of the species.ennullThesis