Pueraria phaseoloides

Tropical kudzu, puero

Vigorous, dense-growing vine cultivated in tropical countries as both pasture and fodder. Prefers high rainfall and fertile clay soils but may succeed on sandy loams. Has deep roots and is unaffected by short dry spells; also thrives in shade. Young plants intolerant of trampling or close grazing. Palatable and high yielding. Combines well with molasses grass. In a humid tropical climate with annual rainfall of 1 200-1 500 mm, tropical kudzu is preferred over kudzu (see B108), yields less, takes longer to establish and produces herbage of lower quality. Kudzu hay has been fed to pigs with good results.

   

 

 

 

 

As % of dry matter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DM

CP

CF

Ash

EE

NFE

Ca

P

Ref

Pasture, early

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

veg., Trinidad

 

22.6

20.5

37.9

6.7

2.0

32.9

 

 

82

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pasture, mature,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trinidad

 

 

32.7

18.0

42.9

6.1

2.4

30.6

0.71

0.18

117

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fresh aerial part,

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Puerto Rico

 

22.5

17.3

34.2

8.1

2.0

38.4

 

 

411

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Artificially

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

dried, Suriname

89.4

18.0

41.3

6.0

 

 

 

 

124

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Digestibility (%)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Animal

CP

CF

EE

NFE

ME

Ref

Pasture, early

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

vegetative

 

 

Sheep

80.0

60.3

51.9

61.8

2.35

82

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Amino acid composition as % of crude protein

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aerial part

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ref

188

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arg

Cys

Gly

His

Ils

Leu

Lys

Met

Phe

Thr

Try

Tyr

Val

4.3

1.1

4.4

1.7

4.4

7.0

3.2

1.8

4.6

4.4

1.2

3.4

4.9

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

References

82, 117, 124, 188, 411

Abstracts

Cattle(124), Cattle(311), Cattle(312), Cattle(417), Cattle(495), Cattle(554), Goats(125), Intake(468), Sheep(185), Sheep(415), Silage(42)