Leucaena 'A versatile plant'.
1984
Proverbs G.
L. leucocephala is a tropical legume best known for its use as an animal feed, in erosion control and as fence posts and windbreaks. General characteristics and production techniques are described. Management systems include (a) balanced pasture-forage where it is interplanted with guinea or elephant grass (b) protein banks with controlled grazing of solid stands and (c) coppicing. Leucaena may be fed to livestock fresh, dried or as silage. It is valued as a high-protein source for beef and dairy cattle, goats, sheep, and, to a lesser extent, poultry and pigs. Leaf-meal protein levels exceed 28 %. Leucaena contains the amino acid mimosine which is harmful when fed continuously as more than 10 % of the total diet of non-ruminants and 30 % of the total diet of ruminants. It is degraded to DHP in ruminants and the tolerance shown in studies in Hawaii and Barbados may be due to microbes in the rumen breaking down DHP. Feed supplemented with leucaena produced greater liveweight gains and higher milk yields in experiments with cattle.
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