• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.213-217
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• 1995

Leucaena leucocephala (lam. de Wit) is a multipurpose leguminous tree/shrub, promoted extensively for reforestation and rural development programmes, as well as in ruminant production. After a year of establishment in the plots, the overall leaves and twigs yield was on average 0.92 kg/plant, containing an average 23.34, 10.61, 5.32 and 10.13 percent CP, CF, and ash, respectively. The proximate and mineral compositions are affected by factors such as stage of maturity, type of cultivar, seasons, cutting intervals, different plant parts. Though leucaena contains toxic mimosine and tannins, these are not always deleterious for ruminants and rumen microbes can often degrade toxic factors into a nontoxic utilizable product Mimosine content is generally higher in the seed than other plant parts. Leucaena supplementation in ruminant ration showed higher digestibility co-efficient of proximate component, which may results in higher productivity. Considering its productivity, composition and nutritive value. L. Leucocephala could be more widely used as a protein source for ruminants in tropical and sub-tropical countries.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.337-343
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• 1998

In a feeding trial, Jamunapari male kids (18) of about 4 months age were equally divided into two groups of nine animals each. Goats in the experimental group were fed sun-dried pelleted Leucaena leucocephala leaves and those in the control group were offered a conventional diet without Leucaena leaves as per Kearl (1982) recommendations for a period of 6 months. Daily dry matter intake DMI/100 kg BW was $3.13{\pm}0.04kg$ in the Leucaena group and $3.30{\pm}0.05kg$ in the control. There were significant (p < 0.01) differences in the apparent digestibilities of DM, OM, CP, EE, CF and NFE being lower in the Leucaena group. Contents of digestible crude protein (DCP) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) were 11.40 and 52.20%, respectively, in the Leucaena group and 14.04 and 66.10%, respectively in the control. The nitrogen in the Leucaena group was not well utilized as compared to the control, though kids were in positive nitrogen balance in both the groups. The average daily weight gain of kids on pelleted Leucaena was $29.95{\pm}2.60g$ as against $42.09{\pm}3.24g$ observed in the control. The mean DMI/kg LW gain was significantly (p < 0.01) higher in the Leucaena group ($14.70{\pm}0.78kg$) as compared to the control ($11.55{\pm}0.46kg$). The Hb, BUN, SGOT and SGPT concentrations were statistically similar in both the groups. Histopathological examination of thyroid gland of goats sacrificed at the end of experiment did not reveal any signs of colloidal goitre associated with mimosine toxicity. No significant pathological alterations were observed in vital organs irrespective of dietary treatment. Sundried, pelleted Leucaena foliage appears to be a promising potential feed for growing goats without any significant deleterious effect.

• Journal of Applied Biological Chemistry
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• v.60 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 2017

Antioxidative ability of 50% ethanol extract from leaves of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit was investigated. The extraction yield, total polyphenols and total flavonoids of the ethanol extract were $18.3{\pm}0.40%$, $121.3{\pm}11.04{\mu}g$ gallic acid equivalents/mg and $105.2{\pm}2.77{\mu}g$ quercetin equivalents/mg, respectively. The ethanol extract possessed the antioxidative activities such as free radical, cation radical, and nitrite scavenging activities as well as reducing power and lipid peroxidation inhibitory activity. These antioxidative activities of the ethanol extract increased in proportion to the extract concentration. $EC_{50}$ values for free radical scavenging, cation radical scavenging nitrite scavenging, and reducing power were $133.51{\mu}g/mL$, $667.22{\mu}g/mL$, 2.58 mg/mL, and $250.00{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. Polyphenols and flavonoids are suggested to be the key contributors for the antioxidative ability of the ethanol extract from Leucaena leucocephala leaves.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.434-440
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• 1998

Seven hybrid lines of Leucaena leucocephala $\times$ L. diversifolia and two control lines of L. leucocephala were compared for their adaptation to acid-soils and tolerance to damage by the psyllid, Heteropsyla cubana, at four locations over two years in Peninsular Malaysia. Primary data on leaf composition and in vitro digestibility (nutrition variables) and secondary data on plant height, stem girth and psyllid damage (agronomy variables) were the measures of performance. Cluster solutions of the nine lines were different within locations, between locations and between years for nutrition and agronomy variables. Controls and hybrids did not cluster separately. Principal component scores of the nine lines gave rank orders which were different by location and by year. No performance trend could be detected between hybrids and controls. The conclusion is that nutritional and agronomic characteristics in Leucaena are independent, soil composition and weather did not consistently affect performance, and evidence is inconclusive as to the benefits of interspecific crossing with L. diversifolia.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.742-746
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• 1999

The potential of Leucaena leucocephala and Prosopis cineraria leaves as nitrogen supplements ($16g/kg\;W^{0.75}/d$) to improve the utilization of a basal diet of rice straw by goats was assessed in a feeding trial. Rice straw supplementation with forage oats (Avena sativa) was fed as a control diet. DMI, $g/kgW^{0.75}$ of rice straw by goats receiving Leucaena was significantly (p<0.05) higher followed by Prosopis and oat fodder. The supplementation of Leucaena improved the digestibility coefficient of DM, OM, CP, NDF and ADF nutrient density. Goats on Prosopis or oat fodder supplemented straw responded similarly in terms of nutrient utilization. The intake ($g/kgW^{0.75}$) of DCP, TDN and nitrogen balance of goats were significantly higher (p<0.05) when Leucaena was fed. It is suggested that the Leucaena may be a useful N-supplement in areas where livestock are fed poor quality crop residues.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.332-339
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• 2005

The effect of transinoculation of goat rumen liquor into sheep rumen on mimosine toxicity was studied. One adult Kutchi male goat having higher mimosine degradation capacity than sheep was gradually adapted to Leucaena leucocephala (Leucaena) leaves by feeding increasing level of eucaena leaves supplementation for 1 month. Six Bharat Merino rams (12-18 months of age) were divided into two equal groups with (group I) or without (group II) infusion of 200 ml of goat rumen liquor per animal. The mimosine degradation in groups I and II were 3.04 and 2.31; 3.90 and 3.73 mg per day per 10 ml rumen liquor respectively after 1 and 2 weeks of leucaena feeding leaves. Total rumen bacterial population in RGCA medium and in a selective medium containing iron showed an increasing trend in both groups, while the bacterial population growing in the presence of cellulose showed a decreasing trend. Animal performance data did not show any adverse effect. Results revealed that transinoculation of rumen liquor from leucaena leaves adapted goat to sheep rumen did not help to improve mimosine degradation in the sheep. The sheep transinoculated with goat rumen liquor displayed no in vivo improvements in nutrient utilization vis-a-vis mimosine metabolism.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.5
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• pp.455-459
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• 1997

Fifteen intact male Jamunapari goats, average body weight $22.0{\pm}1.18kg$ were divided into three groups of 5 animals in each to investigate the effects of feeding leucaena on energy retention and distribution of retained energy. Leucaena leaves and twigs provided 0%, 25% and 50% of CP in the rations of animals in $L_1$ (control), $L_2$ and $L_3$ groups, respectively. Energy balances were determined in an open circuit respiration chamber from gaseous exchange and nitrogen carbon balances. Energy retentions calculated from gaseous exchange data were 181.6, 190.0 and 172.8 kJ/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ and from carbon-nitrogen balances were 178.2, 199.5 and 171.1 kJ/kg $W^{0.75}/d$ in $L_1$, $L_2$ and $L_3$ groups, respectively. No significant difference was observed among the groups in both the methods. The retention of nitrogen and energy in the form of protein was similar in different treatment groups. Similarly, no significant effect was observed on energy retention in the form of fat and total energy retention due to incorporation of leucaena in the diets.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.321-325
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• 2001

Two experiments were conducted to examine the degradation rates of 4 tropical legume forages in rumen and intestine of Kedah-Kelantan (KK) cattle. Three KK cattle, averaging $173{\pm}17.15kg$ each fitted with a permanent ruminal and a T-shaped duodenal cannulae were used. The cattle were fed a maintenance diet (1% DM of their body weight) composing of 60% oil palm frond (OPF) pellet and 40% of a legume mixture of Arachis pintoi (AP) and Leucaena throughout the study. The overall DM and CP degradabilities in the rumen for Gliricidia sepium (GS) and AP were significantly higher than those for Leucaena leucocephala-Bahru (LB) and Leucaena leucocephala-Rendang (LR). This implies that LB and LR would have higher dietary protein flows into the intestine for the more efficient enzymatic digestion. However, the results of the present study suggested only limited proportions of the ruminal undegraded protein in the Leucaenas were digested in the intestine.

• BMB Reports
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.370-372
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• 2005

A cross-linked leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) seed gum (CLLSG) matrix was prepared for the isolation of galactose-specific lectins by affinity chromatography. The matrix was evaluated for affinity with a known galactose-specific lectin from the seeds of snake gourd (Trichosanthes anguina). The matrix preparation was simple and inexpensive when compared to commercial galactose-specific matrices (i.e. about 1.5 US$/100 ml of matrix). The current method is also useful for the demonstration of the affinity chromatography technique in laboratories. Since leucaena seeds are abundant and inexpensive, and the matrix preparation is easy, CLLSG appears to be a promising tool for the separation of galactose-specific lectins.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.265-273
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• 1997

The minimum amounts of leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) required to improve the performance of cattle on a straw diet has been studied. Four levels of leucaena, namely 0 (0%), 2 kg (10%), 4 kg (18%) and 6 kg (27% of dietary dry matter intake) were supplied to 4 adult indigenous bulls ($355{\pm}21.5kg$ weight) fed rice straw alone, in a $4{\times}4$ latin square design. Measurements were made on intake, digestibility, N balance and microbial N yield. Up to 10% level of leucaena supplementation, there were no significant improvement on intake, digestibility, microbial N yield and N balance. Both straw and total dry matter intake showed diminishing return to increasing levels of leucaena supplementation and the maximum intake was observed at around 20% level. However, dietary N and digestible organic matter intake, the microbial N yield and the N balance increased linearly to the increasing levels of leucaena supplementation. On a rice straw based diet, the minimum level of leucaena required to improve the animal performance would probably be at around 20% of the dietary intake.