Tag: calliandra calothyrsus
Intake, digestibility and nitrogen utilization by sheep fed with provenances of Calliandra calothyrsus Meissner with different tannin structure
A trial with sheep (housed in metabolic cages, and fitted with ruminal and duodenal cannulas) fed sun-dried forage of two Calliandra calothyrsus provenances (San Ramon —CIAT 22310 and Patulul CIAT— 22316) harvested in sites with contrasting soil fertility was carried out to further define the biological significance of the different chemical structure in the tannin of Calliandra provenances. Six African-type sheep were assigned to one of four treatments (T1: San Ramón grown in Quilichao with infertile soils, T2: Patulul grown in Quilichao with infertile soils, T3: San Ramón grown in Palmira with fertile soils, and T4: Patulul grown in Palmira with fertile soils) arranged in an Unbalanced Simple Crossover Design. Results showed that extractable tannins in Patulul comprised mainly procyanidin subunits, whereas the tannin fraction in San Ramón was composed largely of prodelphinidin subunits. The DM intake and digestibility of Calliandra were greater (P<0.05) with San Ramón than with Patulul. Intake was also greater (P<0.05) with provenances harvested in the site with fertile soil than in the site with acid soils. Absolute and relative values of ruminal escape dietary N in sheep were greater (P<0.05) with San Ramón than with Patulul, which is consistent with laboratory results on tannin astringency. Thus for the first time we have evidence suggesting that the chemical structure of condensed tannins in tropical legumes can have an effect on N utilization by ruminants. The fact that in vivo results on ruminal escape N were in close agreement with results on astringency of extractable condensed tannins from Calliandra provenances validates the use of laboratory astringency tests for screening tropical legumes with tannins for quality traits. = Para poder definir mejor el significado biológico de la diferente estructura química de los taninos de dos procedencias (San Ramon – CIAT 22310 y Patulul – CIAT 22316) de Calliandra calothyrsus se realizó un ensayo de alimentación con ovinos fistulados en el rumen y duodeno, alojados en jaula metabólica y alimentados con forraje seco al sol de las dos procedencias de Calliandra cosechadas en sitios con suelos de fertilidad contrastante. Seis ovinos de pelo tipo Africano se asignaron al azar a 4 tratamientos (T1: -San Ramón cosechada en Quilichao con suelos de baja fertilidad, T2: –Patulul cosechada en Quilichao con suelos de baja fertilidad, T3: -San Ramón cosechada en Palmira con suelos fértiles, y T4: –Patulul cosechada en Palmira con suelos fertiles) dispuestos en un diseño Reversible Simple no Balanceado. Los resultados mostraron que el consumo de MS y la digestibilidad de Calliandra fueron mayores (P<0.05) con la procedencia San Ramón que con la procedencia Patulul, y que el consumo también fue mayor (P<0.05) con el forraje cosechado en el sitio con suelos más fértiles. Los valores absolutos y relativos de proteína del forraje que escapo degradación en el rumen (proteína de escape o sobrepasante) fueron mayores (P<0.05) con la procedencia San Ramón que con Patulul, lo cual es consistente con resultados de astringencia de los taninos de las dos procedencias medida en el laboratorio. Por lo tanto, por primera vez tenemos evidencia que sugiere que la estructura química de los taninos de leguminosas tropicales puede tener un efecto en la utilización de nitrógeno por rumiantes. El hecho de que los resultados de proteína sobrepasante medidos in vivo estuvieran de acuerdo con los resultados de astringencia de taninos de las procedencias de Calliandra determinadas en el laboratorio, valida el uso de estos métodos de astringencia para la selección de leguminosas tropicales por calidad nutritiva.
The effects of drying temperature on chemical composition and nutritive value of some tropical fodder shrubs
The effects of drying temperature on chemical composition and nutritive value of leaves of the shrub legumes Acacia angustissima (Miller) Kuntze, Calliandra calothyrsus Meissn and Leucaena leucocephala (Lam.) de Wit were determined in two studies in Zimbabwe. In the first study, the effects of shade-, sun- and oven-drying leaves on chemical composition and protein precipitation capacity of tannin extracts were studied. Drying method affected (P<0.01) chemical composition, with cell wall polysaccharides increasing from shade drying to oven drying. Calliandra calothyrsus leaves had the highest total phenolics, tannin phenolics and the lowest N content. About 40% of phenolics in L. leucocephala were non-tannin compared to less than 15% in A. angustissima and C. calothyrsus. Extractable proanthocyanidins and their capacity to precipitate protein were affected (P<0.01) by drying method; extracts from shade-dried leaves were 10% and 20% more reactive than extracts from sun- and oven-dried leaves, respectively. The relative degree of polymerisation of the proanthocyanidins was higher (P<0.01) for oven-dried (1.44) leaves compared to shade-dried (1.01) and sun-dried (1.00) leaves. Drying temperature influences the nutrient–polyphenolic interactions in A. angustissima, C. calothyrsus and L. leucocephala leaves and these interactions have important implications for feed evaluation protocols and for use of these leaves in ruminant feeding systems. The second study considered the effects of feeding sun-dried or fresh leaves of the three shrub legumes as supplements to native pasture hay on nutrient intake and digestion by goats. Feeding the fresh or dry leaves made no difference in terms of dry matter intake and digestion, and N digestion. This offers farmers flexibility in terms of feeding strategies, as they can feed the browse in any form that suits their farm situation. Increasing the level of C. calothyrsus in the diet increased faecal N. Nitrogen retention was lower for animals fed with C. calothyrsus compared to those fed with the other browses.
Leguminous fodder trees: boosting milk production and income for farm families in Kenya
The agronomic and economic potential of tree fallows on scoured terrace benches in the humid highlands of Southwestern Uganda
Smallholder farmers in the densely populated highlands of Southwestern Uganda face major constrains because of poor soil productivity and inadequate wood supply. The wood production, soil replenishing potentials and economic returns of five improved fallow systems: Sesbania sesban, Calliandra calothyrsus, Alnus acuminata, Tephrosia vogelii, and Acanthus pubescens were compared with the traditional bush fallow and continuous cropping systems. A trial was conducted on a non-P deficient Haplorthox (USDA) or Haplic ferralsols (FAO). Starting in March 1996, the fallow phase lasted for 2 years. Crop performance after fallow was subsequently assessed for 2 years. Soil improvement due to fallow was observed only on the degraded upper two-thirds of the terraces but not on the relatively more fertile lower terrace parts. Mineral nitrogen levels increased from 9.5 mg kg1 in the continuous cropping systems to 17.3 and 13.1 in the Sesbania and Calliandra fallows, respectively. On the upper terrace, cumulative maize yield after fallow increased significantly from 1.6 Mg ha1 in the continuous cropping to 3.5, 4.1, 5.9 and 6.2 Mg ha1 in the Tephrosia, Alnus, Calliandra and Sesbania fallow systems, respectively. Besides crop yield improvement, Sesbania, Calliandra and Alnus resulted in high firewood production of 27, 26, and 24 Mg ha1, respectively. Net benefits over the whole terraces show negative annual returns under the continuous cropping system but higher net returns of USD 229, 157, and 111 in the Sesbania, Calliandra and Alnus systems, respectively. Returns to labour are also higher in the tree fallow system, trading labour above the normal wage rate. On the upper terrace part, only Sesbania, Calliandra and Alnus systems result in positive annual net benefits of USD 185, 111, and 53, respectively. Tephrosia, natural fallow and continuous cropping systems are not profitable on the heavily degraded upper terrace as they result in negative returns.
Availability and use of dry season feed resources on smallholder dairy farms in central Kenya
A cross-sectional survey on 41 farms followed by six weeks monitoring of dairy cattle feeding on ten smallholder dairy farms in central Kenya was conducted to investigate the use, availability and quality of dry season feed resources. Fodder production was largely from Napier grass (Pennisetum purpureum) grown on small plots and contour strips where it acts both as a fodder source as well as a biological barrier to soil erosion. There is a need to broaden the choice of fodder crops on such farms to provide a wide range of harvesting management options and to avoid total loss in case of pest or disease outbreaks. Intercropping of Napier grass with leguminous fodder trees could boost the quantity and quality of herbage production especially during the dry season. Roughage from a variety of sources was utilised during the dry season in addition to Napier grass. Among the herbages, leguminous feeds had the lowest potential dry matter degradability while weeds harvested from cropland and roadsides had the highest. Energy and protein intake from the roughage fed to grade dairy cattle during the dry season may be insufficient to meet the requirements of these animals due to the high levels of fibre concentration (acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre (ADF and NDF)) in them. It is recommended that the scope for alternative sources of improved roughage such as Napier/calliandra mixtures, to boost the energy, protein and overall dry matter provision on the farms should be investigated further.
Nitrogen mineralization and maize yields following application of tree prunings to a sandy soil in Zimbabwe
Despite the promotion of prunings as sources of nitrogen for crops, lack of synchronization between N mineralization from prunings and plant uptake remains a major limitation to the impact of prunings on crop yields. A laboratory and a field experiment were therefore carried out to determine the mineralization patterns of selected prunings and assess the potential that exists to improve synchrony by mixing prunings of different quality. The laboratory incubation experiment was conducted for 84 days to determine the C and N release patterns of prunings of different quality and the manipulation of the C and N mineralization trends by mixing prunings of different quality. High quality prunings were considered to be those with high CO2 evolution rates and mineralize N rapidly. The % C and % N released in 84 days were highest for the high quality prunings of Tithonia diversifolia (70% and 30% respectively) and least for the low quality prunings of Flemingia macrophylla (25% and –5% respectively). The medium quality prunings of Acacia angustissima and Calliandra calothyrsus had similar proportions of released C and N (about 40% C and 10% N). Different mixtures of T. diversifolia with other species showed contrasting influence on C release and N mineralization. Most mixtures released less C than that predicted, but in contrast most mixtures released N at a rate either matching or above the predicted. The % N released was strongly correlated with the polyphenol protein binding capacity (r2 = 0.53) and also with the % C released (r2 = 0.62). The field experiment was done for two cropping seasons to determine the effects of the prunings of these species and their mixtures on maize grain yield. The prunings were added at 5 t ha1 and incorporated into the top 15 cm by hand hoeing in the first season and their residual effects were monitored in the second season. Medium and low quality prunings produced significantly (p < 0.05) higher maize grain yields in the first season ranging between 2.4 t ha1 and 3.4 t ha1 compared with T. diversifolia which produced 1.7 t ha1. This suggested better synchrony in N release and uptake by maize with medium and low quality prunings compared with high quality prunings. The only mixture that indicated improved synchrony was the mixture of T. diversifolia and C. calothyrsus. This study showed that mixing prunings of different quality produce different patterns of N mineralization, some of which were unexpected and had a potential for improving N synchrony.
Establishment of Inga edulis and Calliandra calothyrsus in improved fallow systems in southern Cameroon
The adoption of planted fallow largely depends on the cost and feasibility of using the technology; easy, inexpensive and simple fallow establishment methods are known to greatly enhance adoption. It was the objective of this study to assess the effects of weeding regime on the establishment of Calliandra calothyrsus and Inga edulis on degraded acid soils in southern Cameroon. A combination of the two fallow species and two weeding regimes, weeding or not weeding, were compared to a natural fallow. The trial was conducted in two sites of different base saturation levels with four replications. The results indicate that differences between the two species and the two weeding regimes were statistically significant (p 005) on both sites for all measured tree growth parameters, as well as the residual effects on subsequent maize grain yield. Presence of weeds reduced stem diameter and height of C. calothyrsus and I. edulis at the early stage of their establishment. Weeding doubled the leaf biomass of both species. The highest woodmass was produced by Inga in plots with weeding treatment, with 48 t/ha of dry material. Tree fallow improved the yield of succeeding crops by twofold over the natural grass fallow. Weeding treatment improved maize yield, from 1.9t/ha to 2.8 t/ha after Calliandra fallow, and from 2.22 t/ha to 3.0 t/ha after Inga fallow. The significant effects of weeding treatments implies that fallow-improving tree species should be planted in relay intercropping for trees to benefit from the weeding of crops, thus reducing the labour spent on fallow establishment.
Calliandra calothyrsus: assessing the early stages of adoption of a fodder shrub in the highlands of central Kenya
The uptake of Calliandra calothyrsus as a fodder shrub by small-scale dairy farmers was assessed several years after the shrubs were introduced to farmers in on-farm trials. There was strong evidence that farmers were adopting the shrub. A random sample of 45 farmers had increased their average number of shrubs from 84 in their first plantings in 1991–1992 to 311 after 6–7 years. Moreover, farmer-to-farmer dissemination appeared to be high, as 47% had harvested seed and 70% of these had given or sold seed or seedlings to other farmers. The net benefits of using 6 kg of fresh calliandra leaves per day as a substitute for 2 kg purchased dairy meal or as a supplement to farmers’ basefeeding regime amounted to about US$130 per cow year1. By 2000, several thousand farmers in central Kenya were feeding calliandra to their dairy animals. Potential benefits from adopting calliandra or similar fodder shrub species in Kenya’s smallholder dairy sector amounted to about US$139,000,000 year1. Several measures were proposed to help realize this potential: facilitating on-farm research and dissemination of information and planting material, research to identify new fodder shrub species, and assessing the constraints and incentives affecting fodder shrub adoption.
Calliandra calothyrsus: assessing the early stages of adoption of a fodder tree in the highlands of central Kenya
The paper examines the early stages of adoption of Calliandra calothyrsus, a leguminous fodder tree, among smallholder dairy producers in the highlands of central Kenya. The main objectives of the study were: to examine the expansion of calliandra planting by farmers; to document farmers’ experiences and assessments in testing, managing and using the tree; to determine the economic impact of calliandra from farmers’ perspective and to provide feedback to research, extension and policy makers on issues which need to be examined for the improvement and promotion of calliandra as a fodder crop It starts by describing the study area, then summarises the research on the management of calliandra as a fodder tree and as a feed for dairy cows. Next the survey methods are described and the results and conclusions are presented.