The Use of Cassia Leaf, Saman Leaf and Leucaena Leaf as Protein Supplement for Beef Cattle

Abstract

The experiment was conducted using 16 heifers 50-75% Brahman hybrids of initial body weight around 149 kg. They were fed as bid with fresh para grass and 1% of concentrate feed (16% cr). The heifers were divided into 4 treatments as follow T1 no legume leaf supplement while the others were supplemented with legume leaf at 1% of body weight, T2 cassia leaf, T3 saman leaf, T4 leucaena leaf. The result showed that T4 had the highest weight gain among all groups at the growth rate of 0.60 kg./day T3 and T2 (0.58 and 0.87 kg./day) and T1(0.56 kg./day). Statically difference among T1, T2 and T3 and among T2, T3, T4 but T1 significantly different from T4 (P<0.05). Total feed consumption per day T4 was the highest 6.12 kg. while T3, T2 and T1 were 6.06, 6.04 and 5.12 kg. respectively. There was no significantly different among T2, T3 and T4 but T1 significantly different with T2, T3 and T4 (P<0.05) Feed conversion ratio were the highest rate in T1 (9.09 kg./day) which differ from T4 (P<0.05) but T2, T3, and T4 were no significantly different. The cost of feed per kg weight gain of T1 was the lowest while, T4, T2 and T3 were 36.85, 37.17 Bath, respectively. Statically of T2, T3 and T4 were not different but higher than T1 (P<0.05). The experiment ravealed that local legume leaf can increase growth rate but also increase the cost of feed of beef cattle.