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Fast Growing Trees for Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep and Goats) - Manger - 06-13-2015
Leucaenas: This is a fast growing tree. It can produce 3-30 tons of leaves per hectare per year (in dry matter, DM) depending on soil, temperature and moisture conditions. For the best yield, they should be harvested at 6-8 weeks intervals in highly productive sites and 12 weeks in less productive sites. In the first year of growth, it should be lightly harvested. Heavy harvesting should start from the third year.
Farmers can use this tree to increase growth of crops like maize because it fixes nitrogen in the soil. It can also be used as a shade tree and as a wind break for crops/trees like plantain, cocoa, climbing crops etc. The leaves can also be use as green manure as it decomposes quickly.
Dangers to be aware of: The leaves contains high level of mimosine (up to 12% in young shoots). Mimosine is a toxic amino acid toxic to non-ruminants (horses, donkeys, pigs and poultry). But in ruminants, the toxic amino acid is broken down in the rumen to DHP, a goitrogen substance that is detoxify by rumen bacteria. When fed at for a long time at a high level to cattle (>30%), the leaves will be toxic. This toxicity can be prevented by supplementing it with zinc sulphate or iron salt. The mimosine content can also be reduced by soaking the leaves in water and then drying. Adding iodine to Leucaenas can prevent the detrimental effects of mimosine in goats.
Leucaenas is a rich protein source for ruminants and they find it highly palatable. Its nutritional value is comparable to that of alfalfa. It can increase milk production in dairy cattle by 14%! However, it is not very good for pregnant cows, breeders and young cattle.
Get More Info Here (http://feedipedia.org/node/282).
Glyricidia sepium: This is a fast growing leguminous tree. Its leaves are high in protein. The tree yield 9-16t/ha of DM. Glyricidia is more hardy than Leucaenas (in terms of tolerance to pest and growing condition). It can also be harvested earlier at 7 months if grown from cuttings and 14 months if grown from seed. Harvesting intervals should be 2-3 months during the rainy season and 3-4 months during the dry season, provided that regrowth reaches 1-2m high before harvest.
Glyricidia can be use as a wind break and shade tree. Glyricidia is less palatable than Leucaenas.
Get More Info Here (http://feedipedia.org/node/552).
Calliandra: Yield can be 7-10 tons per hectare in dry matter. Both its leaves and pods are high in protein. The good part is that unlike the two legume trees discussed above, this one contains no toxic substances.
RE: Fast Growing Trees for Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep and Goats) - Charly - 06-13-2015
What do you mean by 16t/ha of DM and 3-30 tons of leaves per hectare per year (in dry matter, DM)?
RE: Fast Growing Trees for Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep and Goats) - folabo - 03-16-2017
Is Calliandra available in Nigeria? how can we get seeds to propagate?
RE: Fast Growing Trees for Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep and Goats) - folabo - 03-16-2017
There is this other legume called indigofera that is very useful in goat husbandry
RE: Fast Growing Trees for Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep and Goats) - Henlus - 03-27-2017
(06-13-2015, 07:23 PM)Charly Wrote: What do you mean by 16t/ha of DM and 30 tons of leaves per hectare per year (in dry matter, DM)?
Fresh leaves contains water. When you get rid of all the water through drying, you are left with dry matter (DM). So 16t/ha of DM means that from 1 hactare of land you'll get 60 tons (60,000kg) of well-dried leaves.
RE: Fast Growing Trees for Ruminants (Cattle, Sheep and Goats) - Henlus - 03-27-2017
(03-16-2017, 08:45 PM)folabo Wrote: Is Calliandra available in Nigeria? how can we get seeds to propagate?
Search google images for the pictures and see if you can recognize it. I have been able to identify a lot of herbs by memorizing their pictures from google image and then looking out for them as I travel.