Journal of Fisheries & Livestock Production
Open Access

Review Article

Ficus sycomorus (Sycamore Fig or Shola) Leaf, A Potential Source of Protein for Ruminants: A Review

Kassa A¹, Tadele Y^2* and Mekasha Y³

¹Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Jigjiga University, Ethiopia

²Department of Animal and Range Sciences, Arba Minch University, Ethiopia

³School of Animal and Range Sciences, College of Environmental Sciences, Haramaya University

*Corresponding Author:

Tadele Y
Department of Animal and Range Sciences
Arba Minch University, Ethiopia
Tel: +251 46881-4986
E-mail: Yilkaltadele@gmail.com

Received Date: August 17, 2015; Accepted Date: September 09, 2015; Published Date: September 17, 2015

Citation: Kassa A, Tadele Y, Mekasha Y (2015) Ficus sycomorus (Sycamore Fig or Shola) Leaf, A Potential Source of Protein for Ruminants: A Review. J Fisheries Livest Prod 3:152. doi:10.4172/2332-2608.1000152

Copyright: © 2015 Kareem OK, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

Review was carried out on the nutritional value of Ficus sycomorus (Sycamore Fig or Shola) leaf, different techniques employed to feed animals at different treatment to evaluate the nutritional and chemical composition of as alternative feed sources and its potential as animal feed particularly to sheep. Sycamore Fig can fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, fertilizing the soil for other plants, tolerant of infertile soils and capable of pioneering change in barren and poor quality soils. The leaf contains CP content of F. sycomorus leaf was 17.9% and The NDF, ADF, ADL, DM and ash content of F. sycomorus leaf on DM basis in this study was 64.6%, 52.5%, 17.4%, 93.2% and 11.9%, respectively. The CP content of the F. sycomorus leaf in the current in dry matter basis which depends on the species and Climatic conditions. The composition of the seed and especially the high protein content makes Sycamore Fig leaf highly suitable for livestock diets than pods. However, the presence of quinolizidine alkaloids and some ant nutritional factors results in characteristically bitter taste making the tree legume unacceptable for food/feed. Different strategies (processing methods) have been used to reduce/eliminate the alkaloid contents and enhance the feed value of the grain. Supplementation of ruminant diets with processed Sycamore Fig has been shown to have many positive effects in terms of growth and reproductive efficiency, comparable with supplements of other feeds and which is better than hay and more than the maintenance requirements of the animals.

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