THE LEUCAENA NETWORK NEWS

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The Heatley family have used a modified cane harvester to chop standing leucaena. Members showed their support for The Leucaena Network Executive by voting to retain them in their positions for another term. Andrew Lawrie was elected as President, Bryant Ussher, Vice-President, Ruth Wagner, Treasurer and Ken Murphy as Minute Secretary. They were all elected unopposed. Following the election of office bearers, President Andrew Lawrie delivered the current Code of Practice – and its reason for being. After Andrew’s presentation, members voted unanimously to endorse the current Code of Practice for growing leucaena. The Leucaena Network wishes to thank Mr. Don Heatley for giving so generously of his time. Readers will know that Don is constantly busy in his role as Chairman of Meat & Livestock Australia. The timing of the Conference for Don was not perfect, wedged between meetings in Sydney and flights to USA. At the Conference Dinner, Don had diners keen to know more about the state of the red meat markets around the world, after delivering his keynote address without the aid of any prompts he took many wide-ranging questions including the latest on the livestock export trade from the floor. Next afternoon Don, his wife Laurel and son Scott were hosts to the Conference attendees to Byrne Valley at Home Hill showing their very productive irrigated leucaena operation. At Byrne Valley leucaena is being chopped for the first time and a sugar cane harvester has been converted to do the job and the demonstration on cutting the standing leucaena proved very successful. Queensland Primary Industries & Fisheries have always been great supporters of the Network and leucaena Members discussed the effectiveness of the Heatley’s chopper. growers and this year their Principal Molecular Biologist, Diane Ouwerkerk provided an overview on the very important issues in the production of the bacterial inoculums for cattle feeding leucaena. Mark Best from QPIF was also on hand to handle one of the most pressing question from landholders who are considering to grow leucaena for the first time—the productivity and economic returns of dryland leucaena. Livestock producers are always hungry for the latest research information about leucaena and The Leucaena Network would be struggling without the never-ending support of the University of Queensland. Associate Professor Max Shelton was able to inform delegates about leucaena toxicity problems in overseas countries, while Sam Graham, PhD student from UQ provided an update about his trial work testing for the presence of the rumen bug in cattle herds. Leucaena growers and supporters enjoy hearing cattle producer’s grazing management experiences of the leucaena grass pastures and our Vice-President Bryant Ussher from Lingi, Chinchilla did this very well. All the Conference presentations can be found at: http:// www.leucaena.net/conference.htm The Leucaena Network seeks your advice about the 2010 Conference and AGM, to have your say go to: http://www. leucaena.net/survey.htm Support from funds raised at the Conference is very much appreciated and this year generous donations in the form of leucaena and pasture seed were offered. Guest auctioneer for the evening Andrew Richardson ensured that a cracking-pace was set for the bidders of 200 kilograms of Cunningham seed offered by Tom and Ruth Wagner along with 500 kilograms of silk sorghum donated by Bryant and Sussan Ussher and by the time Andrew offered the 40 kilograms of Tarramba seed from Peter, Jan and Tim Larsen intending buyers knew that they would have to dig deep into their pockets.
Leucaena seed necklace and earings. It is believed that weed leucaena was spread across Northern Australia by South Pacific Islanders wearing this type of necklace in the late 1890s. Almost $6000 was raised for the Network, many thanks to the Larsen, Wagner and Ussher families for their wonderful support. <strong>LEUCAENA</strong> IN CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA Countries of Central and South America are making use of the benefits of leucaena for both enhanced environment and livestock production. Assoc. Prof. Max Shelton from the University of Queensland and Mr Peter Larsen, Director of LeucSeeds Pty Ltd at Banana Queensland, have recently returned from a 2-week visit to the State of Michoacán, Mexico to participate in the second Latin American conference on Intensive Silvopastoral Systems (grazing forage trees in pasture), and to conduct a short course on leucaena establishment and management. Here in northern Australia, most people in the livestock industry are familiar with the development of >150 000 ha of leucaena / grass for cattle production; the most significant pasture improvement initiative over the past 20 years. Cattle turned off these pastures are valued at greater than $120M / annum, a figure that is expected to double over the next 10 years. However, many may not be aware that Australia is not the only country making use of the benefits of growing leucaena for feeding ruminants. In Mexico, the home Field day inspection of leucauna pasture. range of leucaena, the State of Michoacán, with support from farmer organisations, Government and the University sector, has begun implementing leucaena developments for dairy and beef industries. Their initial target is 10 000 ha of leucaena planted by 2011–12 comprising approximately 1000 producers; they currently have 1600 ha planted involving 248 producers. Stocking rate is 2 animals per ha, irrigation is often available, and the soils are deep fertile black clays. The system they are recommending is different from ours and in many ways reminiscent of approaches that we used here in Australia 30 years ago. The most appropriate systems for Mexican farmers will probably evolve over time, just they have here in Australia. They are taking advice from other countries in the Latin American region for planning of the development, including Cuba where leucaena has been used for many years; but most notably, they have been strongly influenced by an NGO with the acronym CIPAV (Centre for Investigation of Sustainable Systems of Agricultural Production). It is based in Cali, Colombia where there are also significant developments of leucaena: 5 to 10 thousand ha of leucaena / star grass / guinea grass have been established for dairy producing 15–17 000 L milk per ha per year. One very interesting contrasting element compared to Australia is that leucaena is promoted as a silvopastoral system (trees in pastures) with strong green credentials. CIPAV has at its core the development and promotion of environmental services and incentive schemes that improve biodiversity (birds, ants, flora, aquatic macroinvertebrates, butterflies), fixation of carbon and water quality. Their activities include research, transfer of
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THE LEUCAENA NETWORK NEWS

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