Leguminous blocks: Nutritional values and economics

Present study was conducted at Central Research Station of BAIF Development Research Foundation, Urulikanchan, Pune during 2013 to 2015 with an objective to determining the nutritive values and keeping quality of legume blocks. Leaf meals were prepared from sun dried leaves and chaffed twigs of subabul (Leucaena leucocephala), desmanthus (Desmanthus vergatus), sesbania (Sesbania sesban) and lucerne (Medicago sativa). Five blocks were prepared by adding molasses, corn flour, mineral mixture and salt. Chemical composition such as dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ether extract (EE), ash and silica content were determined according to standard analytical procedures. The chemical composition was more or less similar in fresh and stored legume blocks in all the recipes and did not vary much during storage. Further, no deterioration in colour, odour or texture was observed in storage, or any apparent contamination with mould. Among the five leguminous blocks, highest nutritive values in terms of CP, CF, EE, ash and silica were observed in sesbania legume block (22.17, 12.14, 3.52, 10.71 and 0.52%) followed by blocks of subabul (20.52, 10.61, 3.42, 10.72 and 0.81%) respectively. The cost of per kg production of leguminous block of subabul and sesbania was low as compared to lucerne blocks, which were Rs. 20, 21 and 29 correspondingly. All the goats offered legume blocks accepted them readily. All the blocks were offered to difeerent five goats for feeding and their acceptance and the intake was 100 per cent.  Hence, the leguminous blocks prepared from sesbania and subabul leaf meal were selected as the best leguminous blocks as goat feed.