Mulberry for Animal Production

Contents: Preface. 1. Introduction. 2. Mulberry: an exceptional forage. 3. Mulberry cultivation and utilisation. 4. Mulberry and its potentials for animal feeding. 5. Nutritional quality of mulberry. 6. Mulberry leaf supplement for sheep feed. 7. Mulberry genetic resources. 8. Potential of mulberry foliage. 9. Integration of mulberry cultivation. 10. Mulberry cultivation in China. 11. Mulberry breeding, cultivation and utilisation. 12. Classification of livestock production. 13. Fodder trees and shrubs. Bibliography. Index.

"Mulberry is present all over the world and its unique characteristics of yield, palatability and nutritive value make it a valuable resource for improving and intensifying a variety of livestock production practices. It was one of the first domesticated forages in the world and has been the subject of intensive research in various countries over the last few decades.

Since the quality of silk production is directly proportional to the quality of leaves used as the exclusive feed for these worms, leaf quality is of utmost importance in sericulture. The goals of mulberry improvement are thus directed towards development of high productivity genotypes with quality leaves.

This book provides an in-depth analysis of the production of healthy mulberry crop for harvesting better quality silk. It is designed for students and teachers of sericulture, scientist working in the field, sericulture extension workers and for general academic professional interest." (jacket)