Leucaena leucocephala as a quality supplement to Pennisetum clandestinum foggage: A preliminary study

Abstract

The performance of growing beef steers grazing foggaged dryland Pennisetum clandestinum (kikuyu) pastures and given limited access (3 h d⁻¹) to Leucaena leucocephala cv. Cunningham (leucaena) was compared to that of steers grazing only kikuyu foggage during autumn and early winter. For three seasons (1988–1990) animals grazing leucaena performed better (P≤£0.01) and gained 24.8 ± 3.01 kg per animal more, over 90 days, than those on kikuyu alone. Animal performance ranged from 0.62 to 0.09 kg d⁻¹ on leucaena and from 0.26 to ‐0.21 kg d⁻¹ on kikuyu. There were differences between seasons, but no Treatment by Season interaction (P>0.05), and these were attributed to the quantity of autumn rainfall because of its effect on the proportion of green leaf in the foggage. It is proposed that leucaena receive more detailed attention under grazing in southern Africa as a supplement to poor quality forage. The danger of leucaena becoming an invasive alien in the humid coastal regions must not be ignored.

Die groeitempo van groeiende vleisbcesossc op droëland Pennisetum clandestinum (kikoejoe) weidings met beperkte toegang van 3 ure d⁻¹ tot Leucaena leucocephala cv. Cunningham (leucaena) is met die van osse op slegs kikoejoe‐weidings gedurende herfs en vroë lente vergelyk. Oor drie seisoene het diere wat leucaena gevreet het beter presteer (P≤s0.01) met ‘n massatoename van 24.8 ± 3.01 kg per dier nicer oor 90 dac as diere op kikocjoe‐weidings alleen. Die diereprestasie het vanaf 0.62 tot 0.09 kg d⁻¹ op leucaena en vanaf 0.26 tot ‐0.21 kg d⁻¹ op kikoejoe gewissel. Daar was verskille tussen seisoene, maar geen interaksie tussen behandelings en seisoene nie (P>0.05). Dit is toegeskryf aan die hoeveelheid hcrfsreënval en die invloed daarvan op die voorkoms van groen blare in die staande voer. Dit word voorgestel dat meer gedetailleerde aandag gegee word aan leucaena onder beweiding in Suid‐Afrika as aanvulling tot swak gchalte voer. Die gevaar dat leucaena kan ontaard in ‘n indringerplant in die humiede kusgebiede moet nie geignoreer word nie.

Additional index words:

• Forage legumes
• invasive aliens
• kikuyu
• leucaena
• steer production
• winter supplement