The MLA supported Value Chain for Economics Producer Demonstration Site (PDS) Northern Australia Live Weight Gain trial, organised by The Leucaena Network measures live weight gains achieved on leucaena-grass pastures at three properties across far north Queensland and the Northern Territory over a period of three years.  The first twelve months of the trial has recorded improved live weight gains from leucaena-grass pastures compared to native or improved pastures at all three sites located at ‘Goshen Station’, Mount Garnett and ‘Pinnarendi Station’, Forty Mile, both in far north Queensland, and at the Douglas Daly Research Farm in the Northern Territory.

The most significant improvements were recorded by Brett and Theresa Blennerhassett of ‘Goshen Station’ who have 600 acres of Redlands leucaena as part of their grazing operation, with an additional 400 acres currently undergoing establishment. Improved pastures of Bisset, Rhodes grass, urochloa, seca stylo and buffel form the inter-row pastures.  The station’s native pastures, augmented with a mix of Callide Rhodes, Bisset bluegrass and seca stylo, average a 0.3kg live weight gain daily throughout the year so the live weight gains ranging from an average of 0.52kg to 0.7kg per day, with the annual average daily live weight gain of 0.59kg provide a significant boost for Goshen’s carrying capacity and turnoff rate.  

Consistent and impressive live weight gains were also demonstrated at Pinnarendi Station and the Douglas Daly Research Station.

Pinnarendi Station hosts the DAF run trial, not only comparing the live weight gains between leucaena and the native grass pastures but also palatability and weight gains between the psyllid tolerant Redlands leucaena and the bushier Wondergraze leucaena variety.  Trial lead Craig Lemin reports that Redlands and Wondergraze with inter-row pastures of a mix of urochloa, indian couch and black spear with rhodes, red natal, buffel, seca stylo and wynn cassia, had similar average daily live weight gains of 0.83kg over the year. This compared very favourably to the grass only pastures of buffel and stylo which recorded average daily live weight gains of  0.66kg.

Peter Shotton, trial lead at the Douglas Daly Research Farm has been instrumental in more than 20 years of leucaena trials in the Northern Territory which have consistently shown improved weight gains from leucaena.  The current trial has achieved dry season live weight gains between 0.1kg to 0.4kg per head per day and wet season live weight gains ranging from 0.82kg to 1.0kg per head per day.  The leucaena paddocks achieved an average live weight gain of 1kg per day per hectare across the year. 

The trial finalised in mid-2023. A  summary of live weight gains achieved is below.