Leucaena (Lukena/Lucena): A Practical Guide for Livestock Farmers

Leucaena is a protein-rich fodder tree that can supplement livestock diets when properly managed and fed in appropriate amounts

 Guide for Livestock Farmers

Leucaena, also called lukena or lucena, is a tropical legume tree grown for its protein-rich leaves and young shoots. It is an excellent supplement for cattle, goats, sheep, rabbits, pigs, and poultry, especially during dry seasons when grass has little protein.

What leucaena is

Leucaena (Leucaena leucocephala) is a perennial shrub or small tree. It grows quickly, tolerates drought, fixes nitrogen in the soil, and produces large quantities of leafy fodder for many years.

Its leaves and tender branches contain high levels of protein, which helps animals grow, produce milk, and maintain good health. However, it should always be fed together with grass, hay, maize stover, or another source of roughage.

Importance of leucaena

Leucaena is valuable because it provides cheap, high-quality protein for livestock. It is particularly useful in dry areas where ordinary pasture becomes poor in quality during the dry season.

It also improves the soil because, like other legumes, it adds nitrogen. This can help nearby grass grow better and reduces the need for expensive nitrogen fertiliser.

Other benefits include:

• It provides feed during dry periods.
• It supports weight gain, milk production, and reproduction.
• It can be grazed or cut and carried to animals.
• It helps control soil erosion on slopes.
• Mature plants can provide shade and firewood.
• Once established, it produces fodder for several years.

Leucaena versus lucerne

Leucaena is a protein-rich fodder tree that can supplement livestock diets when properly managed and fed in appropriate amounts.

Leucaena and lucerne are both legumes used to feed livestock, but they look different and grow in different conditions.

Leucaena is a woody tree or shrub. It has fine, feather-like leaves made of many tiny leaflets, white ball-shaped flowers, and long flat brown seed pods. It grows well in hot tropical areas and can survive dry seasons.

Lucerne

Lucerne 

also called alfalfa, is a soft green leafy plant. Each leaf has three small leaflets, and it produces purple or blue flowers. Lucerne grows best where there is enough moisture and is commonly cut for fresh feed, hay, or silage.

The easiest way to identify them is this: leucaena is a small tree with pods, while lucerne is a leafy plant with purple flowers.

Choosing a variety

There are several types of leucaena, and the best one depends on your local climate, rainfall, soil, and purpose.

Hawaiian types are common and productive, but some may be affected by psyllid insects.

Giant types grow tall and produce a large amount of leafy material.

Peru types are often leafy and branching, making them useful for repeated cutting.

Cunningham is a well-known cultivar used in grazing systems.

K636 is another cultivar used in tropical forage production.

For a small farm, use clean seed or seedlings from a trusted local supplier. Ask an agricultural extension officer which variety grows best in your area.

Preparing the land

Choose a sunny place with well-drained soil. Avoid land that floods or stays wet for long periods because leucaena does not grow well in waterlogged soil.

Clear weeds, bushes, and crop residues. Dig or plough the land to loosen the soil, then make planting holes or furrows.

Add well-rotted manure or compost to each planting hole if available. Do not put fresh manure directly beside young seedlings because it can burn their roots.

Preparing the seed

Leucaena seed has a hard outer coat, so it may germinate slowly if planted without treatment.

Soak the seed in hot water for about five minutes, then transfer it to cool water and leave it overnight. Another method is to rub the seed gently with sandpaper or make a very small nick in the seed coat. Be careful not to damage the seed inside.

Plant only clean, fresh seed from a reliable source.

Spacing

Spacing depends on how you plan to use the leucaena.

For cut-and-carry fodder production, plant at 1 metre by 1 metre. This is a practical spacing for smallholder farmers because it gives good leaf production while leaving room to cut and harvest.

For a fodder bank, use rows about 1 metre apart, with plants 10–20 centimetres apart within each row. You can grow grass between the rows.

For grazing, plant rows 2–4 metres apart, with plants 0.5–1 metre apart in the row. This allows animals to move and graze more easily.

For a long-term tree stand, use 2 metres by 2 metres or

  wider spacing.

Wider spacing allows more grass to grow between the trees.

Planting

Plant at the beginning of the rainy season when the soil has enough moisture.

Make a hole about 2–3 centimetres deep. Place one or two treated seeds in each hole and cover them lightly with soil. If using seedlings, plant them at the same depth they were growing in the nursery.

Water gently after planting. Protect young plants from chickens, goats, cattle, and other animals until they are strong enough to survive browsing.

Caring for leucaena

Watering

Water the seedlings regularly during the first two to three months. The soil should remain moist, but not flooded.

After the plants are established, they need less water because leucaena is drought tolerant. Still, water young plants during long dry periods.

Weeding

Remove weeds regularly, especially during the first six months. Weeds compete with young leucaena for water, nutrients, and sunlight.

You can use dry grass as mulch around the plants to reduce weeds and keep moisture in the soil. Keep the mulch a little away from the stem to avoid rotting.

Manure and fertiliser

Use well-rotted manure or compost at planting. After establishment, leucaena usually needs little fertiliser because it fixes nitrogen.

If the plants grow slowly or have yellow leaves, ask an extension officer or soil-testing service before

  applying fertiliser.

 Phosphorus may be needed in some soils.

Pest control

The main pest is the leucaena psyllid, a small insect that sucks sap from young leaves and shoots. It can cause leaves to curl, reduce growth, and lower fodder production.

Check the young shoots often. Remove badly affected shoots and avoid using strong insecticides unless a veterinary or agricultural officer advises it. Healthy, well-managed plants usually recover better from pest damage.

Harvesting

Start harvesting when the plants are about 1–1.5 metres tall and well established. Do not cut very young plants too hard because this can weaken them.

For cut-and-carry feeding:

Cut leaves and tender stems about 50–100 centimetres above the ground.

Use a sharp knife, sickle, or pruning shears.

Harvest every 4–8 weeks, depending on rainfall, soil fertility, and how quickly the plants regrow.

Leave enough leaves and branches for the plant to recover.

Avoid heavy cutting during severe drought.

For grazing, allow animals to eat the leaves for a short time, then remove them so the plants can regrow. Do not allow continuous grazing because it can kill young plants.

How to feed leucaena

Leucaena can be fed fresh, lightly wilted, dried as hay, or made into silage. The safest method is to introduce it slowly and always mix it with other feeds.

Fresh leucaena

Feed fresh leaves and young shoots in a clean trough. You can also tie small bundles in the paddock, but a trough helps reduce waste.

Start with a small amount, about 10–15% of the animal’s daily feed. Increase it gradually over one to two weeks if the animals remain healthy.

Wilted leucaena

You can feed leucaena fresh or lightly wilted. Wilting for a few hours reduces moisture and makes the feed easier to handle.

However, wilting does not remove mimosine, the natural compound that can cause toxicity. Therefore, do not feed very large amounts just because the leaves have wilted.

Dried leucaena

Leucaena can be dried and stored as hay for the dry season. Dry it in a shaded, well-ventilated place to preserve the leaves, then store it in a dry place to prevent mould.

Feeding large amounts

Leucaena contains mimosine, a natural non-protein amino acid. In the animal’s body, mimosine can be changed into compounds that affect the thyroid gland and the use of iodine.

When an animal eats too much leucaena too suddenly, especially if it has never eaten it before, mimosine can cause illness. The risk is highest when leucaena becomes the main feed instead of a supplement.

Signs of toxicity

Watch for:

• Loss of appetite
• Weight loss or poor growth
• Excessive salivation
• Hair or wool loss, especially around the face
• Sores in the mouth or throat
• Swelling or raw areas above the hooves
• Lameness
• Goitre or swelling in the neck
• Reduced fertility
• Abortion in pregnant animals
• Weakness or death in severe cases
• Safe amounts
• For cattle, goats, and sheep, keep leucaena below about 30% of the total dry-matter diet, especially when animals are still getting used to it. Some sources state that ruminants can tolerate 20–50% as a supplement, but a cautious farmer should start low and increase gradually.
• For pigs, poultry, and rabbits, keep leucaena much lower—generally below 5–10% of the diet—because they are more sensitive to mimosine.

What to do if toxicity is suspected

Stop feeding leucaena immediately or reduce it greatly. Give the animal plenty of clean water and offer grass, hay, or another safe roughage.

Do not give more leucaena until the animal recovers. Contact a veterinary officer or agricultural extension officer if the animal is very weak, refuses food, is pregnant, or shows severe symptoms.

Simple management routine

During the first two weeks after planting, water the seedlings and remove weeds. Protect them from animals.

From week three to week eight, continue weeding and watering during dry spells. Check for pests and diseases.

From month three to month six, apply light manure if growth is poor. Begin very light harvesting only when the plants are strong.

Once established, cut the plants regularly before they become too woody. Always feed leucaena as a supplement with grass, hay, or crop residues, and provide clean water at all times.

Final advice

Leucaena is one of the best fodder plants for livestock farmers because it provides protein, survives dry periods, and improves soil fertility. The secret to using it safely is balance: plant it properly, manage weeds and pests, harvest it regularly, and feed it gradually as a supplement—not as the only feed.