Mulberry and cactus as alternative fodders

摘要

Have you ever thought that a mulberry tree and a cactus plant could have something in common? It's time to change your mind, because animal experts, especially within the Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), concur that they have one thing in common - a great untapped potential as a feed for livestock. FAO's animal production service has found that in terms of nutritional value mulberry produces more digestible nutrients than traditional forages. The leaves can be used as the main feed for goats, sheep and rabbits, as a supplement replacing concentrates for dairy cattle, and as an ingredient in the diets of livestock such as pigs. Over the centuries, mulberry trees have spread throughout the breadth and width of the globe, from the temperate areas of Europe and North America to the tropics of Asia, from sea level to altitudes of 4,000 metres, and from humid tropics to the semi-arid lands of the Near East.