<div style="text-align: justify;">A study was conducted to determine the effect of shredded Colophospermum (C.) mopane wood inclusion as roughage on the performance of fattening Nguni heifers. The heifers were randomly allocated to four diets with different shredded C. mopane wood inclusion levels (5, 8.5, 10 and 15%) in a completely randomized design. Shredded C. mopane wood inclusion level had effect (P&lt; 0.05) on intake and feed conversion ratio (FCR). Diet intakes per metabolic weight and FCR of Nguni heifers were optimised at different shredded C. mopane wood inclusion levels. However, shredded C. mopane wood inclusion levels did not affect (P&gt;0.05) diet in vitro digestibility, carcass weight, dressing percentage, meat pH, meat shear force values and meat colour intensities except for red colour intensity of rump steak. It was, thus, concluded that shredded C. mopane wood can be used as roughage without adversely affecting diet intake, FCR, and live weight of Nguni heifers.</div>

<div style="text-align: justify;">Effect of shredded Colophospermum mopane wood inclusion as roughage on the performance of fattening Nguni cattle</div>

<div>Background: The incorporation of leaf litters in agroforestry systems can meet a significant share of nutrients demand and improve crop yield. The Citrus aurontifolia, Aegle marmelos and Cordia myxa (among fruit trees) and Colophospermum mopane, Acacia senegal, Acacia tortilis, Dalbergia sissoo (among trees) are well-adapted species to the arid environment. Unfortunately, little work has been done in the past to study the influence of leaf litters of these species on yield and nutrition of crops grown in arid region. Therefore, the present experiment was planned to study the influence of leaf litters of Colophospermum mopane, Acacia senegal, Acacia tortilis, Dalbergia sissoo, Citrus aurontifolia, Aegle marmelos and Cordia myxa on yield and uptake of nutrients in moth bean and Indian mustard in arid region.&nbsp; 
 
Methods: Field experiment was conducted at ICAR-Central Arid Zone Research Institute, Regional Research Station, Bikaner in moth bean-mustard rotation during 2010-11 and 2011-12 by incorporating leaf litters of seven tree species i.e. Mopane (Colophospermum mopane), Gum acacia (Acacia Senegal), Umbrella tree (Acacia tortilis), Indian rosewood (Dalbergia sissoo), Sour lime (Citrus aurantifolia), Assyrian plum (Cordia myxa) and Bengal quince (Aegle marmelos) in randomized block design with three replications. Grain and straw yield was recorded and analysed for N, P and K content.&nbsp; 
 
Result: The maximum grain yield of moth bean and its residual effect on mustard was observed in the soils amended with leaf litters of Citrus aurontifolia followed by Aegle marmelos and Dalbergia sissoo. The total uptake of N, P and K was significantly higher in the treatments of Citrus aurontifolia and Aegle marmelos, which was due to the higher dry matter production of crops, faster rate of litter decomposition and higher release of nutrients.&nbsp;</div>

Effect of shredded Colophospermum mopane wood inclusion as roughage on the performance of fattening Nguni cattle

Yield and Nutrition of Moth Bean-Mustard Rotation in Soils Amended with Tree Leaf Litters in the Arid Region of Rajasthan