Seasonal variation in forage quality and mimosine contents of two varieties of Leucaena leucocephala

Seasonal variation in forage quality and mimosine contents of two varieties (cultivars Cunningham and Spectra) of Leucaena leucocephala were evaluated. Cultivar (cv.) Cunningham was available throughout summer, autumn, winter and spring seasons while cv. Spectra was available during summer, winter and spring seasons. Differences in crude protein (CP) and mimosine contents of young Cunningham and Spectra leaves were not significant. Also, difference in mimosine contents of mature leaves of both cultivars were not significantly different. But mean CP content of mature Spectra leaves was significantly higher (24.9 vs 18.7%, p = 0.023) than that of leaves of mature Cunningham. Mean P content of young Spectra leaves was significantly higher (1.6 vs 2.10gkg-1, p = 0.046) than that of young Cunningham leaves but mean Cu content of young Cunningham leaves was higher (10.5 vs 9.0mgkg-1, p = 0.06) than that of young Spectra leaves. Mature leaves of cv. Spectra also had higher P content (2.3 vs 1.6gkg-1, p = 0.06), but lower Ca (20.8 vs 30.5gkg-1, p = 0.06) and Mg (5.6 vs 7.6gkg-1, p = 0.06) contents than those of mature Cunningham leaves. Apart from CP, fat and mimosine, other analysed constituents increased with plant maturity. Keywords: Nguni goats; forage trees African Journal of Range & Forage Science 2001, 18(2&3): 131-13