The Best Leaf Choice for Healthy Goat Feed

Goats are herbivorous animals that require daily food intake in the form of plants such as grass. However, goats don't have to eat grass all their life. This one farm animal also needs a variety of food so that the nutritional intake and nutrients absorbed are also varied. For that, breeders must know the variety of other foods such as the best leaves to feed goats. This food can be a complement to meet the nutrition of goats.

The Best Leaves to Feed Goats Other Than Grass

Green feed is the main food for livestock, especially goats. Breeders can provide a variety of leaves as a substitute for grass. In Indonesia, there are many kinds of green plants that can be used. In fact, almost all green plants around us can be used for animal feed.

The following are some of the best leaves for goat feed that turn out to have a lot of nutritional content for goats. Among others are :

1. Cassava Leaves

Cassava leaves contain 32.30% crude protein which will contribute nutrients to the needs of goats. This type of leaf can even be used to increase the goat's weight significantly. In addition, by giving cassava leaves, goats will be healthier because of the anticacing content. This content will also protect the goat's digestion from bad microorganisms.

2. Jackfruit Leaves

Jackfruit leaves also have a protein content of above 20% so it is also highly recommended to be used as goat food. To get it is quite easy. The number is abundant. Usually, farmers give jackfruit leaf feed when they want to increase goat milk production.

3. Turi Leaves

Turi leaves are also one of the types of leaves that are easily found around us. The Turi tree is only consumed by the flowers by the community. Therefore, the leaves can be used as animal feed. The protein content is quite high and can also produce a lot of energy. This is why goats get fat faster by consuming turi leaves.

4. Banana Leaf

Banana leaves are not widely used by the community except as food wrappers. That's why when the banana harvest season comes, a lot of banana leaves are thrown away and become waste.

Though this leaf is very good to be used as goat feed. Banana leaves contain 10.97% crude protein, 4.02% crude fat and 28.90% crude fiber. This composition makes banana leaves ideal for animal feed.

5. Papaya Leaf

These are the best leaves for goat feed other than grass. In addition to being easy to obtain and abundant, papaya leaves are known to have a lot of nutritional content. Papaya leaves can increase goat body weight drastically. In addition, papaya leaves contain sap that can be used as a natural worm medicine.

6. Calliandra Leaves

Calliandra leaves are a natural forage food that can also be used to feed goats. The protein in calliandra leaves is indeed quite high but the tannin content is also quite a lot. That is why, if you want to give calliandra leaves to livestock, it is better to mix it with turi leaves or gamal leaves.

7. Gamal Leaves

Gamal leaves are also known as teresede leaves. It has high fiber and protein content. Actually teresede leaves are recommended to be used as animal feed, it's just that the smell is a bit pungent.

Breeders will need extra effort to get the goats to eat this one leaf. So that the smell is not too strong, farmers can dry it until it wilts and be used as feed when the goats are really hungry.

Those are the 7 best leaves for natural and healthy goat feed. Breeders can provide this leaf as a variation so that the goats do not continue to eat grass. This leaf feed will provide many functions for the growth and development of goats.