Nitrogen Fixing Trees for Animal Production on Acid Soils

Livestock owners maintain nitrogen fixing trees in pastures and fodder banks and use them as living fence posts. The trees provide a variety of products and services, such as fuelwood, poles and timber, fodder and protein supplements for livestock, and shade. Although only a limited number of nitrogen fixing species are known to be adapted to acid soils, this group includes species suitable for a wide range of ecological zones and animal production systems. Among the species that have proven particularly successful for animal production on acid soils are Erythrina poeppigiana, Erythrina fusca, Alnus acuminata, Cratylia argentea, Desmodium velutinum, and Desmodium gyroides. Table 1 gives a more complete list of nitrogen fixing trees and shrubs for animal production on acid soils