The nutritive value of mulberry leaves (Morus alba) as a feed supplement for sheep.

A study to determine the nutritive value of mulberry (Morus alba) leaves in sheep diets was conducted. Mulberry leaves contained (g kg(-1) on dry matter basis): 163 ash, 201 crude protein, 120 crude fibre, 37 ether extracts, 479 nitrogen-free extracts, 268 neutral detergent fibre, 148 acid detergent fibre, 41 acid detergent lignin, 121 cellulose and 107 hemicellulose, while the in vitro true digestibility of dry matter was 89.8%. The nitrogen (N) solubility, determined using: a) McDougall's buffer, b) 0.02 N sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and c) 0.15 N sodium chloride (NaCl) as solvents, ranged from 11.6 to 14.9% of total N. In addition, the soluble non-protein nitrogen contributed a substantial part of total N (26.1%), the total true protein was 14.4% and the protein fractions evaluated after classical protein fractionation, were: albumins 11.1, globulins 9.7, prolamins 44.1, glutelins 8.5 and insoluble (or structural) proteins 26.6% of total N. In a digestibility trial, where mulberry leaves partially replaced lucerne hay and concentrates in wether sheep diets, there were no significant differences in dry matter, crude protein or crude fibre digestibility of the total diet. It was concluded that mulberry leaves have an appreciable potential as a protein source in sheep feeding.

Effects of gossypol content of cottonseed cake on blood constituents in growing-fattening lambs.

The effect of gossypol content of cottonseed cake given as a source of CP in lamb (n = 8) rations was examined on the following blood parameters: plasma total protein, albumin, globulins, urea, glucose, hematocrit, hemoglobin, and mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentrations. The diets were isonitrogenous and isocaloric and contained 0, 15, and 30% cottonseed cake for 62 d. Blood samples were taken at the beginning, middle, and end of the experiment. Plasma total protein and globulins were higher at d 30 of the experimental period, but plasma albumin concentration, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were higher at the beginning of the experiment; plasma urea concentration was higher at d 60, and plasma glucose concentration was lower at d 30 of the experiment. The highest fraction in all treatments was albumin, followed by alpha 2-globulin and beta-globulin fractions, and there was no gamma 1-globulin fraction at d 30 and 60 of the experimental period. Liver examination showed significant differences in free gossypol content and accumulation, total N, and total protein percentage among the three treatments. Gossypol toxicity was not observed. The absence of gossypol toxicity in these animals has been attributed to detoxification of free gossypol by the formation of gossypol-protein complex in the rumen.