DAIRY FARMING IN SOUTH TEXAS HAS DECLINED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES DUE TO THE COST AND DIFFICULTY OF PRODUCING HIGH PROTEIN FEED.

DAIRY FARMING IN SOUTH TEXAS HAS DECLINED OVER THE LAST TWO DECADES DUE TO THE COST AND DIFFICULTY OF PRODUCING HIGH PROTEIN FEED. LEUCAENA IS A GENUS OF MULTI-PURPOSE, FAST-GROWING, NITROGEN-FIXING PERENNIALS WHICH ARE NATURALIZED AND/OR CULTIVATED THROUGHOUT THE HUMID TROPICS FOR ANIMAL FODDER. ALTHOUGH THREE SPECIES OF LEUCAENA ARE NATIVE TO TEXAS, IT HAS NEVER BEEN DOMESTICATED D DOMESTICATION OF LEUCAENA FOR FODDER IN SOUTH TEXAS-TECHN NICAL ABSTRACT AND UTILIZED AS A FODDER IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. ITS USE AS FODDER IN THE U.S. IS RESTRICTED BY A GENERAL LACK OF REGIONAL INFORMATION ON ITS RELATIVE FEED VALUE FOR DAIRY AND OTHER CATTLE, AND ALSO LIMITED DATAON LEUCAENA'S REQUIREMENTS FOR SUCCESSFUL CULTIVATION IN THEREGION. THIS RESEARCH PROGRAM INTENDS TO DOMESTICATE LEUCAENA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO ALFALFA ANIMAL FEED CROP IN SOUTH TEXAS.