Crotalaria juncea

Sunn hemp

Branched erect annual 2-3 m high with elliptical lanceolate leaves and yellow terminal flowers. The pods are small and inflated, having stiff hairs. Commonly grown in India for fodder. The seeds and pods are sometimes toxic and should therefore be removed before feeding. Yield of herbage can be high, especially when fertilized with phosphorus. Can be used as fresh forage or made into hay. In Andhra Pradesh (India) it is stacked in alternate layers with rice straw to increase the value of the straw. Young plants are not palatable.

As % of dry matter

DM

CP

CF

Ash

EE

NFE

Ca

P

Ref

Fresh aerial part,

India

15.0

30.0

8.2

5.8

41.0

2.08

0.51

436

Hay, Zimbabwe

92.3

12.5

45.7

5.5

1.0

35.3

499

Seeds, Niger

96.0

40.3

10.0

5.6

1.4

42.7

374

Digestibility (%)

Animal

CP

CF

EE

NFE

ME

Ref

Hay

Cattle

59.3

46.8

91.2

58.7

1.91

499