Tree leaves as supplementary feed for ruminant livestock

• Silvopastoral agroforestry – integrating
shelterbelts, hedgerows or in-field trees with
grazing livestock – can provide domestic animals
with benefits, including shelter and shade, as well
as supplementing their diets as tree browse or
fodder.
• This study sampled leaves from three native
deciduous tree species – willow, alder and oak –
from three sites across the UK, and analysed their
mineral, energy and protein content.
• Willow leaves from all sites were found to contain
higher concentrations of zinc and cobalt than
sheep requirements for these minerals. Selenium
concentrations were found to be more dependent
on the site than the tree species.
• Metabolisable energy of leaves sampled was
greatest in alder, while higher crude-protein
content was associated with spring in all species.
• More research is required to investigate the value of
different tree species as a mineral supplement for
ruminant livestock, and to address how leaf feed
could be integrated into their diet.