The Effect Of Creeping Indigo (Indigofera Endecaphylla) When Fed To Growing Chickens

Abstract

Creeping indigo ( I n d i g o f e r a endecaphyllaJacq.) is a spreading or suberect perennial legume that has been studied for its agronomic desirability in Africa, Ceylon, Cuba, Hawaii, India, Java, Puerto Rico, and the Philippine Islands. Bogdan (1949) reported that this species was fed to steers and sheep for a few hours each day during a 16-day feeding trial and that it was palatable to them. Mundy (1932) andFajardo (1934) reported, respectively, that mules and horses also ate this crop. Emmel and Ritchy (1941), however, have reported that New Zealand rabbits, when permitted t o graze in a plot of I n d i g o f e r a endecaphylla, died within a period of 6 to 15 days. The rear quarters of afflicted animals were paralyzed and respiration became feeble. No reference has been found regarding the effect of this legume on chickens.Recent investigations by the Departments of Animal Husbandry and Agronomy of the University of Hawaii have indicated that this member of the legume family may have induced premature births of stillborn calves. With regard to poultry, there had been an unconfirmed field report that dehydrated creeping indigo, when substituted for 50 percent of a standard grower mash during a period of acute feed shortage, caused death of 12-to 13-week-old cockerels after 3 days on the feed. This study was undertaken to procure information on the effects of creeping indigo on growth and livability of chicks. MATERIALS AND METHODSFor trials 1 and 2, terminal vine cuttings of creeping indigo were run through an ensilage cutter and dried in an electric oven at 100°C. Excess cuttings were stored on a wire screen so that the last of this sample was placed in the oven on the third day. The dried whole forage was then ground in a hammer mill and the coarser stems were separated by passing the milled material through a seed cleaner. In trial 3, leaves were hand stripped 12 to 18 inches from the terminal portions of the vines and dried at 100°C. The entire sample * Published with the approval of the Director of the Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station as Technical Paper No. 206.

Studies on Palatability of Some Tropical Legumes1

“…It is of interest that trailing indigo was pointed out as a promising forage plant for Puerto Rico in 1940 ( 2). It % % % % % % % % % % % % % should be noted, also, that although this species has been used widely for forage, it recently has been reported as causing toxic symptoms in livestock (5,8). No signs of toxicity were noted in the animals used in these cafeteria tests, but studies at this station have indicated some detrimental effects of this species in the diet of guinea pigs.…”

“…(hairless tropical kudzu), ( 5) Canavalia bonarensis Lindley (red bean)" (6) Calopogonium coeruleum ' Benth., (7) Desrnodium intorturn (Mill.) Urb., (8)' D. nicaraguense Oerst., (9) Dolichos lablab L., and (10) Centrosema pubescens Benth. The two varieties of tropical kudzu were included in order that the palatability of ''hairless" (9) and common tropical kudzu might be compared.…”

Indigofera spicata (creeping indigo) poisoning of three ponies

“…The term ‘ I. spicata complex’ was introduced to include plants previously referred to as I. spicata , I. hendecaphylla and I. endecaphylla , following their separation into two distinct species . Reports from that period stated these plants were toxic to grazing cattle, poisonous to chicks and toxic when experimentally fed to cattle, sheep, rabbits, mice and rats . Liver pathology was a consistent feature in all but chickens, where reduced weight gains and a neurological syndrome were characteristic.…”

A Chick Test for Toxicity in Forage Legumes1

“…It has also been reported by Nordfeldt et a/. 3 as causing depression, dizziness, lowered appetite, and, in some cases, death in rabbits, sheep, and cattle.…”