Calidad nutritiva y utilización de Cratylia argentea

This article summarizes the information obtained in several trials on the nutritive quality, intake, and acceptability of Cratylia argentea.In addition, results are presented of the use of this legume as a supplement for sheep fed low-quality forage and for dairy cows grazing during the dry and rainy seasons. The nutritive value of C. argentea, measured in terms of crude protein and in vitro digestibility, is similar to that of other common shrub legumes (i.e., Gliricidia sepium, Calliandra callothyrsus, and Erythrina poeppigiana) that are, however, only marginally adapted to acid soils Cratylia argentea has only trace amounts of tannins; its nutritive value, however, is higher than that of other semi-shrub legumes well adapted to acid soils, which have high levels of tannins (i.e., Flemingia macrophylla and Codariocalyx gyroides). The intake of immature and fresh forage of C. argentea is low, but increases when the forage withers or dries in the sun, or when offered mature. This effect on intake is possibly associated with the presence of an unidentified non-nutritional compound. The inclusion of increasing levels of C. argentea (0 percent to 40 percent of the forage on offer) in mixtures with low-quality grass increased total intake linerly, but similarly decreased the digestibility of the sheep diet.