Determining the Nutritional Value of Fodder Tree Leaves and Shrubs of Scarcity Zone of Maharashtra

The goal of this study was to determine the nutritive value of fodder tree leaves and shrubs from a dryland area in the Solapur district of Maharashtra. The climate of this region is characterized by a relatively low annual rainfall (594.8 mm), which varies from year to year and ranges from 594.8 to 655.6 mm. The winter temperature is 22.5°C, and the summer temperature is 40.1°C. The annual total evaporation is 2817.7 mm on average. Dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), ash, crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), hemicelluloses, and proximate composition were measured in leaves of fodder trees and shrubs. DM, CF, CP, NDF, ADF, and hemicelluloses had mean percent values of 32.66, 22.60, 4.79, 55.75, 47.97, and 7.81 percent, respectively. The average percentages of ash, calcium, and phosphorus in fodder tree leaves and shrubs were 8.28, 2.18, and 0.235, respectively. Where, iron, zinc and manganese were 3419, 51 and 252 \(\mu\)g g-1 respectively.