Huang J C, Wen S H, Li P H
Hengchun Station, Taiwan Livestock Research Institute, Pingtung.
Chin J Physiol. 1988;31(1):23-9.
This study investigated the effect of prolonged ingestion of Leucaena leucocephala, a leguminous shrub with a potential as a source of animal feed in Southern Taiwan, by heifers on serum thyroid hormone levels. Ten crossbred beef heifers were divided into treated (grazing Hawaiian wildtype leucaena) and control (grazing Pangola grass only) groups of 5 animals each. The heifers grazing leucaena exhibited significantly (P less than 0.001) lower serum total triiodothyronine levels and also showed a tendency (P less than 0.10) for a lower thyroxine level. Growth rates to 90 days were 0.26 +/- 0.02 and 0.17 +/- 0.02 kg/day for heifers on Pangola grass and leucaena pastures, respectively. The difference was significant (P less than 0.05). Three of five heifers grazing leucaena showed severe hair loss from the tail and other parts of the body. Our results suggest that leucaena toxicity to animals may be present in Southern Taiwan.
本研究调查了台湾南部一种有潜力作为动物饲料来源的豆科灌木银合欢被小母牛长期采食后对血清甲状腺激素水平的影响。将10头杂交肉牛小母牛分为两组，每组5头，一组为试验组（放牧夏威夷野生型银合欢），另一组为对照组（仅放牧俯仰马唐草）。放牧银合欢的小母牛血清总三碘甲状腺原氨酸水平显著降低（P<0.001），甲状腺素水平也有降低趋势（P<0.10）。在俯仰马唐草牧场和银合欢牧场饲养的小母牛，到90天时的生长速率分别为0.26±0.02和0.17±0.02千克/天。差异显著（P<0.05）。放牧银合欢的5头小母牛中有3头出现尾巴及身体其他部位严重脱毛。我们的结果表明，台湾南部可能存在银合欢对动物的毒性。
