Leucaena Leucocephala Leaf Meal Research Articles

Evaluation of the nutritive value of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal, inoculated with fish intestinal bacteria Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus circulans in formulated diets for rohu, Labeo rohita (Hamilton) fingerlings

Nine isonitrogenous (35% crude protein approximately) and isocaloric (18.37 kJ g−1) experimental diets (RLL20–BCFL40) were formulated with either raw or treated (inoculated with fish intestinal bacteria) Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal at 20%, 30% and 40% levels replacing other ingredients partially from a fish meal based reference diet (RD). Two specific strains of fish intestinal bacteria, Bacillus subtilis (isolated from Cyprinus carpio) and B. circulans (isolated from Oreochromis mossambicus) having extracellular cellulolytic and amylolytic activities, were used to inoculate Leucaena leaf meal for 15 days at 37°C. The crude fibre, cellulose and hemicellulose contents and the antinutritional factors, tannin, phytic acid and mimosine in the leaf meal decreased due to inoculation. However, free amino acids and fatty acids increased in the treated leaf meal. The response of rohu, Labeo rohita, fingerlings fed the experimental diets for 80 days was compared with fish fed a RD. Both the inclusion level and type of Leucaena leaf meal in diets significantly affected the growth performance of rohu. Fish fed diets containing inoculated Leucaena leaf meal performed better in comparison with those with the RD. On the basis of growth response, feed conversion ratio, protein efficiency ratio and apparent net protein utilization, diet formulated with 30%Leucaena leaf meal inoculated with B. circulans resulted in the best performance of rohu fingerlings followed by diet with 40%B. subtilis inoculated Leucaena leaf meal. The apparent protein digestibility (APD) was better in fish fed diets containing B. circulans inoculated leaf meal. An increasing level of raw Leucaena leaf meal was associated with a decrease in the carcass protein content of rohu fingerlings. The activity of α-amylase increased with the increasing level of treated leaf meal in diets. Cellulase activity increased with increasing level of inclusion of raw leaf meal, and was comparatively lower in fish fed diets with treated leaf meal. Activities of protease and lipase were higher in fish fed the RD. The results showed that it is possible to incorporate Leucaena leaf meal inoculated with enzyme-producing fish intestinal bacteria in carp diets up to 40% level of inclusion.

Effect of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal treated with acetic acid or sodium hydroxide on apparent digestibility and nitrogen retention in pig diets

Forty male pigs (43.4±6.2 kg of liveweight) housed in metabolism crates were used to evaluate the effect of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM) treated with acetic acid (AA) or sodium hydroxide (NaOH) in pig diets, on coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and nitrogen balance (NB). The experimental diets included 200 g LLM kg −1 which had been treated with four levels (0, 30, 60 and 90 g kg −1 DM) of AA or NaOH, respectively as chemical treatments. The experiment was conducted in two periods: 7 days for adaptation, and 7 days for total urine and faeces collection. There were no differences ( P>0.05) between treatments (AA and NaOH) on CTTAD of DM, OM and CP. However, CTTAD of NDF was higher ( P<0.05) in pigs fed diets with LLM treated with AA (0.49) than in pigs fed diets with LLM treated with NaOH (0.44). There were no differences ( P>0.05) on apparent digestibility between levels of treatments (0, 30, 60 and 90 g kg −1). Nitrogen retained was higher ( P<0.05) in pigs fed diets that included LLM treated with level 30 g kg −1 of AA or NaOH (11.2 g per day) in comparison to pigs fed diets with LLM treated with 0, 60 and 90 g kg −1 (4.6, 7.3 and 6.7 g per day, respectively) as seen from the quadratic response. The results obtained in the current work suggest that treating LLM with 30 g kg −1 of AA or NaOH increased nitrogen retention in growing pigs.

Effects of roasted leucaena leucocaphala leaf metal on the performance of broiler chickens

The effect of graded dietary levels of roasted Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (RLLM) on performance of broiler chickens was studied. Three hundred and twenty broiler chickens, 4 weeks of age, were randomly allotted to four dietary levels (0, 5, 10 and 15%) of RLLM in iso nitrogenous diets. The RLLM replaced soya bean meal at those levels. Feed and water were provided ad libitum. The experiment lasted for 4 weeks. Results indicated that there were no significant (P>0.05) treatment effects on average daily feed intake, average daily gain, and feed conversion ration. Eviscerated weights, breast, drumstick and thigh, wing, neck, gizzard, liver and bile, hear and spleen weights as percent of live weight were also not significantly (P>0.05) affected. Results showed that substituting RLLM for soyabean at 5, 10 and 15% of the diet was not beneficial in reducing the total cost of proudcution. Based on the data obtained, further studies using higher levels of RLLM in broiler fed are recommended. Keywords: Roasted Leucacena leucocephala leaf meal, broiler chickens, carcass characteristics. (Global Journal of Pure and Applied Sciences: 2002 8(4): 477-482)

Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal as supplement to diet of grazing dairy cattle in semiarid Western Tanzania

The effect of supplementation with three levels of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM) added to a diet composed of cotton seed hulls (CSH) and maize bran (MB) on milk yield, milk composition and body weight changes of grazing lactating cows was studied in a completely randomised design. Marginal product analysis for the different levels of LLM as a substitute to cotton seed cake (CSC) was also calculated. The following treatment diets were used in the experiment: Diet 1, (control) composed of 1.8 kg DM CSH and 1.8 kg DM MB. Diet 2, 3 and 4 had an addition of 1.2, 2.0 and 2.6 kg DM of LLM respectively. Diet 5 was composed of 1.8 kg DM of CSC and 1.8 kg DM of MB. Treatments, number of lactations, farm and initial milk yields significantly (P 0.05). Cows on treatment 1 achieved no significant (P 0.05) difference in net milk produced by cows on treatment 2, 3 and 5 compared to treatment 1. LLM supplementation significantly (P 0.05) influence on milk crude protein (CP), butter fat (BF), solids not fat (SNF) and ash in all the diets. Body weight was significantly (P < 0.05) increased by LLM supplementation. Degradation coefficients of the treatment diets were high and varied significantly (P < 0.01) and had an influence on the metabolizable energy value of the treatment diets. Cows on diet 2 to 4 had a weight gain of 190.9, 101.8 and 80.9 g/cow/day respectively and cows on diet 5 attained the highest weight gain (234.5 g/cow/day). Diet 4 had the highest marginal productivity of 4.3 followed by diets 2, 3 and 1 with marginal productivities of 2.8, 0.6 and 0 respectively. It was therefore, concluded that the optimal supplementation level using LLM as a substitute for the more expensive CSC was diet 4.

Influence of feeding increasing levels of leucaena leaf meal on the performance of milch goats and metabolism of mimosine and 3-hydroxy-4 (1H) pyridone

Four crossbred (Alpine × Beetal) milch goats (24 months; 30 kg live weight) in early lactation received during 31 days increasing levels of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM): 25, 50, 75 and 100% of dietary DM during first, second, third and fourth week onwards, respectively. Remaining dietary DM was supplied through green berseem and a concentrate mixture which constituted the whole diet after the 31 days feeding on LLM. Mimosine and 3-hydroxy-4 (1H) pyridone (3,4 DHP) contents of the LLM were 1.88 and 0.78% respectively. Daily average mimosine, 3,4 DHP and total toxin intake was 196, 82 and 278; 339, 141 and 480; 553, 230 and 783; and 648, 269 and 971 g kg −1 live weight (W) during first, second, third and from fourth week onwards, respectively. DM intake on sole feeding of LLM was 65.9 g kg −1 W 0.75. No clinical toxicity symptoms were noted. Milk yield started declining from Day 27 onwards and reached the lowest level on Day 33 though LLM was discontinued from Day 31 onwards. Milk yield started improving from Day 37 and reached a peak by Day 49. The milk samples were free of mimosine and DHP, possibly due to some kind of barrier between blood and udder. Mimosine was not detectable in blood serum samples. The 3,4 DHP concentration in the blood serum, however, ranged from 97 on Day 8 to 402 μg ml −1 on Day 29 and disappeared completely by Day 36 when animals were on conventional diet. During metabolism trial faecal excretion of mimosine and 3,4 DHP was 4.43 and 17.9% of total toxin intake, respectively. Urinary excretion of mimosine was 1.59% while that of 3,4 DHP and 2,3 DHP through faeces and urine was 52.17% of total toxin consumed. DCP and TDN values of LLM in goats were 16.03 and 61.58%, respectively. Goats were in positive N balance. The T 3 and T 4 levels declined but DM intake was not affected. The SGOT and SGPT values were in the normal range. The study indicated that LLM could form a substantial portion of milch goat ration and milk of such goats being free of mimosine and DHP should be fit for human consumption.

Influence of gradual adaptation of cattle to Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal on biodegradation of mimosine and 3- hydroxy-4(1H)-pyridone (3,4 DHP) in rumen, their levels in blood, fate and influence of absorbed DHP on thyroid hormones and liver enzymes

Three rumen fistulated Karan Fries crossbred (Holstein X Tharparkar) calves were fed increasing dry matter (DM) levels of 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% through leucaena leaf meal (LLM) starting at week 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. The mimosine, 3,4 DHP and 2,3 DHP levels were determined in strained rumen liquor (SRL) and serum at 0, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h postfeeding on days 1, 8, 15, 22, 29 and 42. LLM was incubated for 24 h with SRL in vitro on days 0, 7, 14, 21, 28 and 41 to study mimosine and dihydroxypyridone (DHP) biodegradation. On day 43, 1–1.5 l of rumen liquor was transferred to another set of three unadapted calves which were fed 50% LLM after transfer of inoculum. DM intake was 1.78%, 2.13%, 2.27%, 1.66%, 1.54% and 1.35% of live weight during the 1st through 5th week, respectively. Both in vitro and in vivo studies showed extensive degradation of mimosine to 3,4 DHP and 2,3 DHP from first day of LLM feeding. The overall in vitro DHP degradation was nil, 28.6%, 43.3% and 40.1% on day upto 15, 21, 28 and 42 of LLM feeding. No mimosine was found in serum on any day of sampling. The 3,4 DHP detected (56.94±31.65 μg ml −1 serum) one hour post feeding on day 1 exhibited a decline from day 22 onwards. The serum also contained 2,3 DHP on days 8, 15, 22, 42. The faecal and urinary excretion of 3,4 DHP and 2,3 DHP as percent of mimosine intake declined from first week (76.3±2.8) to 4th week (42.1±4.1). The feeding of LLM resulted in reduced level of T 3 and T 4 within a week of LLM feeding. The level of T 3 improved to normal by 6th week while that of T 4 remained low. The SGOT and SGPT activities were within normal range. The gradual adaptation to LLM feeding caused Karan Fries calves to acquire DHP degrading ability to nontoxic compounds and this ability was transferred through transfer of rumen liquor from such calves to other unadapted calves at as early as 9th day of LLM feeding. The results revealed the possibility of two types of microbes degrading mimosine and 3,4 DHP to 2,3 DHP. One type of 2,3 DHP degrading microbes may be inhibited in the presence of 3,4 DHP whereas the other type may be active.

An attempt to inactivate mimosine of Leucaena leucocephala by mineral supplementation for feeding to ruminants

In an in vitro study an attempt was made to examine the effect of iron as ferric chloride at the 0, 4 and 8 g kg −1 level and copper as cupric sulphate at 0, 10, 25, 50 and 100 mg kg −1 of dry matter (DM) on ruminal mimosine degradation and fermentation of Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal during 24 h incubation. Further, short-term (10 days) in vivo studies were conducted on feeding of copper sulphate treated (Cu 10 mg kg −1 DM) leucaena to cross-bred calves. Iron at the 8 g kg −1 level and copper at the 10 mg kg −1 level and onwards decreased ammonia nitrogen in the rumen liquor in vitro. However total nitrogen, microbial protein synthesis, total volatile fatty acids and their individual proportions remained unaffected due to these trace minerals. In vitro mimosine degradation was reduced (P < 0.05) from 87.41 to 82.62 at an iron level of 4 g kg −1 or above. A copper level of 10 mg kg −1 and above significantly (P < 0.05) decreased mimosine degradation (from 85.75 to 78.80). Apparently DM intake, DM digestibility, organic matter digestibility increased by 0.68 % units per 100 kg live weight, 3.12 % units and 2.46 % units, respectively, in calves fed copper treated leucaena. Mimosine intake was higher in the copper treated group (0.512 g as compared with 0.319 g per kg live weight) but the 3,4-DHP excretion mimosine ingestion ratio was 0.345 as compared with 0.412 in the untreated group. Hence, in vitro and in vivo studies revealed reduced mimosine degradation due to copper supplementation of the leucaena diet.

Chemical composition and nutritive value of leaf protein concentrate from leucaena leucocephala

AbstractLeaf protein concentrate (LPC) was prepared from Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal (LLM). The recovery of LPC was 7.6 % and analysis showed that the LPC contained 65.91 % crude protein compared with 29.15 % of the LLM, ash content was 17.56% while levels of essential amino acids‐lysine, histidine, arginine, isoleucine and leucine—were 5.57, 2.34, 5.88, 5.42 and 10.8% on a dry matter basis, respectively. The LPC had higher in‐vivo digestibility than the LLM with values being 63.20 and 48.82%, respectively. The LPC diet supported growth in rats but gave lower nutritive indices than the control diet of soya bean and Guinea corn.

Utilisation of leucaena leaf meal by broilers

Abstract 1. The effect of including Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) leaf meal (LLM) in broiler diets was investigated employing LLM at 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg diet. Experiments were also conducted to investigate whether reduced food intake of diets containing LLM is responsible for the growth depression. 2. LLM appears to be a good source of protein and calcium. 3. Food intake was not significantly affected (P>0.05) with dietary LLM inclusion up to 200 g/kg. 4. Inclusion of LLM up to 150 g/kg diet did not influence significantly (P>0.05) the performance of broilers in terms of body weight gain and food efficiency. However, inclusion of LLM at 200 g/kg diet had an adverse effect on weight gain and food efficiency, when compared to other dietary treatments. The profitability over food costs was low with the 200 g LLM/kg diet compared to those of other diets. 5. It may be inferred from these experiments that LLM can safely be included in broiler diets up to 150 g/kg. 6. Studies using force‐feeding and restricted feeding techniques indicated that reduced food intake was not responsible for the growth depression in diets containing higher amounts of LLM.

Nutritive value of Leucaena leaf meal in pelleted feed for Nile tilapia

An experiment was conducted to determine the suitability of treated Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal as an ingredient for Nile tilapia, Oreochromis niloticus Linn., feed. Nine experimental diets were formulated to contain 25%, 50% and 100% of the total dietary protein as plant protein using soaked (soaked in water at 30°C for 48 h), sundried (sundried for 2 days) and commercial Leucaena leaf meal, balanced by protein from fish meal. A control diet with fish meal as the only protein source was included. All diets were isonitrogenous (30% protein) except for diets containing 100% plant protein (21% protein). The 70-day feeding trial was conducted with duplicated treatments in 2-m 3 circular concrete tanks with recirculating water. There was a trend of reduced growth performance and feed utilization efficiency with increase in Leucaena leaf meal incorporation for all treatments. Generally, soaked leaf meal gave a significantly better growth response than sundried or commercial leaf meal. Mimosine present in the latter two treatments may have contributed to the poorer growth.

Digestibility in milkfish, Chanos chanos (Forsskal): Effects of protein source, fish size and salinity

The true digestibility of casein, gelatin, fish meal, defatted soybean meal and Leucaena leucocephala leaf meal was measured in 60- and 175-g milkfish ( Chanos chanos Forsskal) in fresh- and seawater. The diets contained 45% of these feedstuffs and 1.3% of the indicator substance, chromic oxide. The intestinal dissection method was used to collect fecal material. Results showed that the length of time between initial feeding and fish sacrifice did not significantly affect digestibility. Gelatin was the most digestible (90–98%) protein, regardless of size. Casein, defatted soybean meal and fish meal were moderately digestible (50–90%) and digestibility coefficients tended to increase as a function of fish size. L. leucocephala was the least digestible (−10–40%). The digestibility of most of these feedstuffs was less in the anterior than in the posterior intestine, and tended to be lower in seawater than in freshwater. Rate of food movement was similar in both size groups, but was significantly faster when milkfish were in seawater rather than in freshwater. The effect of salinity on digestibility may in part be due to food motility changes necessitated by alterations in osmoregulatory processes when fish are in seawater.