Fresh legume tree leaves boost goat growth without harming health.
Goats were fed dry grass with either a concentrate mixture, Sesbania leaves, or Subabul leaves to see how it affected their growth and health. The goats ate about the same amount of food each day. The goats that ate the concentrate mixture had better digestion of dry matter and organic matter compared to those that ate the leaves. The goats that ate Subabul leaves had lower protein digestion than the other groups. However, the goats' growth and blood levels of important nutrients were similar across all groups. Overall, feeding goats fresh legume tree leaves with dry grass did not harm their health or growth, except for slightly lower digestion of some nutrients.