Review on Desmodium as feed resources

Desmodium genus are adaptable, fastgrowing and high productive plants, they have high content of crude proteins and amino acids, suitable ratio of calcium and phosphorus, and rich in several kinds of microelements. In Desmodium, tannin is a main antinutrition factor, because it can produce complex compound through binding with protein, which results in the reduction of utility of protein and animal intake, and effects digestibility of many nutrients, like dry matter, fiber, etc. On the other hand, appropriate amount of tannin can also reduce the degradation of protein in rumen, release the tympanites of animal and improve the productive performance and disease resistance. Therefore, Desmodium varieties can promote the nutritional value of crude forage and cut down the cost of production when they are used as supplementary of crude forage to feed animal, they are excellent protein resource of feed plant which are of great potential in subtropical and tropical areas of China.