Improved livestock production depends on the availability of feeds to meet the maintenance and growth requirements of animals on a year-long basis. Fodder trees which produce protein-rich leaves throughout the year have been identified as potential sources of high quality feeds. Studies were carried out to investigate methods of establishing Leuceana leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium and the management of trees in smallholder farming systems.

The acceptability of G. sepium was initially low but the animals were eating all of these supplements by the end of the first week of the trial. The immediate acceptance of L. leucocephala shows that these feeds are highly palatable to sheep.

Both Leucaena leucocephela and groundnut hay produced comparable levels of gain indicating that L. leucocephela foliage could be used as an alternative to the traditional practice a feeding groundnut hay. Appropriate methods of integrating the fodder tree in the traditional sheep production system should be explored. This would broaden the feed base and increase the availability of supplementary feeds to individual farmers. (Results from G. sepium were inconclusive because the supply of this fodder ran out during the tiral).