Prevention of leucaena toxicosis of cattle in Florida by ruminal inoculation with 3-hydroxy-4-(1H)-pyridone-degrading bacteria.

Ruminal microorganisms in cattle at a Florida agriculture research station did not have the ability to detoxify leucaena by degradation of 3-hydroxy-4(1H)-pyridone (3,4,-DHP), but a DHP isomer (2,3-DHP) was degraded in some cattle. Cattle with microorganisms that degraded 2,3-DHP were mostly Senepol cattle imported from St. Croix, US Virgin Islands, where leucaena is an indigenous species. Hereford cattle at the research station in Florida generally did not degrade 3,4-DHP or 2,3-DHP. An experiment was conducted in which a pure culture of 3,4-DHP-degrading bacteria was inoculated into Hereford cattle (with ruminal fistula) grazing leucaena. The bacteria successfully colonized the rumen of recipient cattle and persisted through the following winter when there was no leucaena in the diet.