Summary
Feeding trials in Kenya using the
tree fodder Calliandra as a
supplement to local cattle diets
have helped to further our
understanding of the efficient use
of tree fodders. A case study on
eight farms, looking at feeding
regimes of goats, investigated
management practices and levels
of production.
The International Centre for Research in Agroforestry (ICRAF) has worked with fodder trees in many sub-Saharan countries. It operates within existing agroforestry research networks in the bimodal highlands, the unimodal plateau, and the semiarid lowlands of Africa. The work. aimed at smallholder farming systems, addresses constraints identified in diagnostic surveys. Farmers have consistently noted among their most pressing problems the poor quality and limited quantity of dry season feed. Across the regions, Calliandra calothyrsus, Leuceana spp. (L. leucocephala before the appearance of the leucaena psyilid; L. diversifolia. L esculenta, and L. pallida), and Gliricida sepium often produce the highest yields. Acaciaangustissima is promising in Southern Africa, as is Mimosa scabrella above 2,000 m altitude.
While species may be similar, niches for tree planting vary with the farming system. Contour bunds can be stabilized and made productive by the planting of fodder trees. Fodder species are sometimes planted under upper-storey trees along farm boundaries. In Tanzania, seasonal drainage lines cay be used for fodder banks when protected by live fences. Agronomic studies have addressed wet season management for dry season fodder yields. The quality and productivity of indigenous trees were compared with exotics. Tree fodder acceptance by livestock and animal performance levels were evaluated.
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| Primary Relevance |
Low - High |
| Feeding and Nutrition |
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| Animal Health |
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| Commodities and Markets |
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| Other Husbandry |
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| Policy Relevance |
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