Evaluation of constituents of local plant leaves as alternative unconventional feed for poultry

Abstract

This study was conducted to find out the nutritional value of four selected plant leaves namely were studied: Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis ) , Mulberry (Morus alba), Bambar (Cordia myxa L.) and Olive ( Olea europea L). The chemical analysis of plants leaves revealed that Eucalyptus contained the highest percentage of dry matter (94.70%) followed by Bambar leave (93.65%) and Mulberry (93.01%) compared to the olive (% 90.93), which gave the lowest level of dry matter. Mulberry leaves showed high percent of crude protein which was (20.81%), followed by Bambar leaves (14.10%) and olive leaf (9.98%) , While eucalyptus leaves recorded the lowest percentages of crude protein (7.04 %). Both of mulberry leaves and Bambar containing the lowest percentage of Ether Extract (2.34 and 2.96%) and soluble carbohydrate (51.23 and 52.11%) respectively, while it contained a higher proportion of crude ash (12.02 and 11.45%) respectively. The results showed that Bambar leaves gave the highest percentage of crude fiber which was (19.38%), followed by Eucalyptus leaf (17.10%) and then olive (16.24%) and finally Mulberry leaf, which contained the lowest percentages of crude fiber (13.60%). As it show that both of Mulberry and olive leaf containing a lower proportion of the dissolved ash which were (1.38% and 1.54%) respectively, Whereas the mulberry leaves and Bambar containing the highest percentages of insoluble ash which 10.64 and 8.25% respectively. Results also indicated that the olive leaves had the highest organic matter (93.62%), followed by eucalyptus plant (91.45%) and Bambar (88.55%) compared to Mulberry leaves (% 87.89( which gave the lowest content of organic matter. In metabolisable value olive leaf had the highest contents (2732.36 Kcal .kg-1) followed by eucalyptus leaves (2554.89 Kcal .kg-1) and then mulberry leaves (2525.48 Kcal .kg-1 ) , While Bambar contained the lowest percentages of ME energy, which amounted to (2372.28 Kcal .kg-1). The mean content of mineral elements in leaves indicated that mulberry leaves contained the highest percentage of calcium (3.94%) , phosphorus (0.23%) and potassium (2.56%), while the same leaves contained the lowest percentage of sodium (0.70%) as compared with other plants. On the other hand , olive leaf contains the highest percentage of manganese (295.12 mg . kg-1) , iron (3168.75 mg . kg-1) , lead 285.75 mg . kg-1) , copper (23.25 mg . kg-1) , zinc (461.15 mg . kg-1) and cadmium (78.95 mg . kg-1). The ratio of calcium to phosphorus (Ca/P) reached the highest percentage in eucalyptus plant (22.33), followed by Mulberry leaf (17.13) and then Bambar plant (13.35), while the olive leaf recorded the lowest ratio (12.71). Sodium to potassium ratio (Na/K) recorded highest percentage in Bambar plant (2.48), followed by eucalyptus plant (1.26) and olive leaf (0.62), while the Mulberry scored the lowest (0.27).