Chaya seems to be a catalyst

#1

It seems to me that chaya has feed value that goes beyond the normal nutritional components. That is, it seems to function as a catalyst for animal diet. Not sure that is possible but when feeding a small amount of chaya to our sheep, our other feed products go further….accomplish more. I am wondering if chaya may have some sort of enzymic action in the digestion process that allows animals to make greater use of their regular feed….which for us is tall grass and tree leaves.

The reason I suspect it is more of a “catalyst" than a feed is because we don’t feed enough of it to make a nutritional difference. It makes up less than .001% of their diet but it makes a noticeable difference.

It seems to me that growing even a small amount of chaya in feed deprived areas could be a way to extend/expand the feed value of the limited feed that is available.

Curious if others have observed that phenomena.

#2

Thanks, for the question and background.

I can say that chaya meal is an excellent plant-based protein source that is under-utilized globally. Chaya meal is affordable unlike other protein meals used in animal and aquaculture feeds. The nutrient value is comparable to others as the amino acid digestibility is an important factor in feed.

I will provide some scholarly articles on Chaya meal below for further reviewing.

Hopefully this helps.

Sarmiento-Franco, L., McNab, J. M., Pearson, A., & Belmar-Casso, R. (2003). The effect of chaya (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius) leaf meal and of exogenous enzymes on amino acid digestibility in broilers. British Poultry Science, 44(3), 458–463. https://doi.org/10.1080/00071660310001598256

Donkoh, A., Atuahene, C. C., Poku-Prempeh, Y. B., & Twum, I. G. (1999). The nutritive value of chaya leaf meal (Cnidoscolus aconitifolius (Mill.) Johnston) studies with broiler chickens. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 77(1–2), 163–172. Redirecting

Khieokhajonkhet, A., Ngoenthong, W., Inyawilert, W., Aeksiri, N., Kaneko, G., Ratanasut, K., & Phromkunthong, W. (2024). Assessment of chaya meal (Cnidoscolus chayamansa) as an alternative feed ingredient for Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus): Growth performance, hematology, histology, growth- and appetite-related gene expression. Aquaculture, 593. Redirecting

#3

David, thanks for sharing that info. Those articles are interesting however, they are looking at chaya as a feed source and particularly as a protein source. That is a different issue.

We are feeding far less than .001% of their diet in chaya. So, the amount of protein is totally insignificant. In fact at that low level, there is no measurable feed value in terms of protein, energy, etc. Yet they gain weight and produce milk with less feed better with a small amount of chaya in their diet.

At that low level, it’s value seems to be more like a vitamin…which I understand function something like a catalyst. That could be significant to those with very limited feed resources.

Just to be clear, I am not suggesting the value is the vitamins it may contain. Our sheep receive vitamins and minerals from other sources. I am suggesting that it functions similarly to a vitamin…instead of as a normal food source like protein or energy.

Bottom line: maybe this could be a way for those with insufficient feed supplies that by adding .001% of chaya to their diet, could reduce the amount of needed feed significantly. As well all know, during droughts, it is not unusual for animals to receive only half rations of feed. Maybe with a tiny amount of chaya, those half rations might allow for less weight loss.

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#4

Since we I’ve been talking this year about planting chaya in our fence as a way of having more fodder during the dry season, I’ve noticed our neighbor’s cattle doing better.

In the surrounding area there are farmers who move their hungry cows down the road periodically in search of something for them to eat. When they pass our farm, the cows eat some of the chaya growing in our fence. I’ve noticed this year during the drought season those cows are in better condition than they were in the previous years. Obviously this is only anecdotal evidence that chaya even in extremely small amounts has a disproportionately large benefit.
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Cow Chaya
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#5

Greetings Glen,

This sounds like a very interesting hypothesis. Have you considered doing a simple randomized control trial to see if you observation is correct? If what you observed is reproducible, it could make a big difference to poor farmers who can’t afford commercial animal feeds.

Joel

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#6

Hopefully someone with more time than I have can do a study of the idea. Maybe posting it here will spawn interest by a group looking for a study project. Or, maybe someone has already done a study that someone in this group can dig up. If they do, hopefully they will share.

Hopefully someone into deep AI searching will find a study on the topic. However, I am more of a “Seeing is believing” kind of guy and I’ve seen enough that we are doing it.

#7

Thank you for this information. I raise goats in Honduras and am searching for other alternatives for feeding. Currently am using Napier, Mexican sunflower, and other browse they get from native plants. I supplement with bought corn and soy meal. I would like to eventually get away from these imported inputs, both from a food security standpoint and from a health perspective (cheap gmo grains). So this is something I will research. But I need to find Chaya here first.

Anyone here in Honduras who knows of a source for getting starts?

Lorenzo

#8

I imagine (but not sure) that Larry Smoak who lives south of La Ceiba would have some. I can send you his email address if you are interested.

#9

Loren, what part of Honduras? We are near Quimistan, SB and could provide you with cuttings.

There is an itchy variety that we used to grow but have now converted to a non-itchy variety we got from ECHO.

In addition to the benefits listed in this string, I’ve posted in other strings that it is THE most drought tolerant plant we grow. In that respect, it is sort of like vetiver but much more productive and much more palatable and nutritious feed than vetiver. While vetiver is highly drought tolerant, for us it is nearly worthless as feed. We grow it for other reasons and don’t even try to feed it.

#10

I would not worry about GMO grains. We need to encourage more GMO science as it is one of the best ways to solve problems and it is a real travesty that GMO technologies like Golden Rice have such unscientific and ideological opposition. Hundreds of thousands of people if not millions in India and all across the world are lacking vitamin A, particularly the low caste which mainly eat only rice which is all they can afford. Blindness, death as a result of vitamin A deficiency affects millions of lives. Diseases of all types are made much worse when vitamin A is absent and they more readily succumb to dying. There is virtually no evidence that GMOs are in any way harmful. You would have to introduce a toxin or an allergen to make them harmful. Our digestive systems are designed break things down in an acidic environment. Fear mongering GMOs is very damaging to progress and using all the tools God has given us. Why would we be concerned about feeding GMOs to animals when Chaya has cyanogenic glycosides that can release hydrogen cyanide, oxalates, phytates, tannins and saponnins. That is why humans should not eat it without cooking it. Animals should graze it in a limited amount but boil it, ferment or dry or even wilt it first will help reduce those factors. We have to get back to the science and strip about illogical ideology.

#11

You would not worry about GM seeds?

In as much as nearly 100% of the corn and soy beans grown in the USA is with genetically modified (GM) seed that can be sprayed with herbicides and not be bothered by the herbicide. That corn and soy beans that have been absorbing herbicides is then consumed by people and animals. Now a large percentage of mother’s milk includes herbicide in the milk. Given those issues, it’s difficult for me to understand how GM seeds are not a problem. Granted not all GM seeds are designed to tolerate herbicides but Loren was specifically talking about grain for goats, which in all likelihood were absorbing herbicides…especially if grown in Honduras, or imported from the USA.

Seems to me that Loren is being wise to avoid feeding GM grain to their goats…especially if they are going to drink the milk or eat the meat. It’s not always easy to avoid GM grains, but this is one time where there seems to be easy alternatives.

#12

Are pigeon peas an option or have you tried growing them there?

#13

Hey, it’s been taking me some time to respond here.

You certainly hold different views on this subject than I do… Why am I concerned about GMO’s? It may be that research is limited on the actual impact of the gene-altering technology on the actual food/human health. I have not researched that to find what has been researched. My gut feeling is that there will be health repercussions in future years due to our present messing with the genes in plants. But I don’t build an argument on that, neither would I want you to be convinced by a “feeling” I have.

The compelling reason that I am concerned about GMO is the use of glyphosate as a herbicide in these crops. So these crops have been modified with genes that resist glyphosate which has been a game changer for farmers. It is very costly and sometimes impossible to keep the weeds at bay by mechanical means. But what all of this means is that our grains have a level of glyphosate in them and that is not good, since glyphosate is not only a mineral chelator, but also works as an antibiotic. And there is a lot of evidence to support those claims.

I would like to get away from dependence on these adulterated foodstuffs if possible. I realize we don’t live in a perfect world, so I don’t lie awake at night worrying about what glyphosate is doing to my body. But, as I have opportunity, you can believe that I will do what I can to take intentional steps towards a more healthy approach.

#14

Hey! This is good news!

Maybe we could message and I could get more particulars personally.

Here is my phone number: 9346-2327 or 3266-0377

A la espera de su respuesta. ¡Muchas gracias!

Lorenzo

#15

Yes, I am planting pigeon peas and they grow well here in our area.

#16

Plants have antibiotics in them as well so the research is biased if it is only looking at a very low residue level of RoundUp and not comparing to how the natural antibiotics which are present in foods at much higher levels are affecting the gut biome. And the arguments involving evolution don’t hold water since evolution did not occur, we were created. The theory of evolution biases much of research on things like this. The idea that creatures and the environment are fragile, having been honed by hundreds of millions of years of evolution, is wrong. God created robust creatures and a robust universe that has a high level of adaptation and positive feedback mechanisms built in that mitigate against negative feedback mechanisms. So you have a risk of biome change from both synthetic and natural ingredients and heavy metals both natural and synthetic, and also from bacteria which produce their own toxins in their attempt to dominate their environment. So now you have to figure in the effect of introducing more bacteria from manure applied to crops and its relative effect. It looks like RoundUp residue would be quite miniscule of an effect in the “noise” of all the other things that affect our gut biome. And you have to look at the price of food and the benefit to the poor from being able buy food at lower prices and save money. It was not too many years ago that much of the world was stunted from lack of protein and food intake. Much of the world did not produce enough through subsistence or could not buy enough food. We now tend to have an overabundance of food and so we have an obesity problem.

#17

You are definitely correct in that God has created a very resilient system in which we are part. I am amazed at the forgiveness of God and how it is manifest even in creation.

You might be correct in assuming that it is better to have an abundance of possibly contaminated foods vs. very little of anything. However, I am not sure that that is a necessary dichotomy.

My worldview would indicate that our God created a system that is capable of abundance without our having to desecrate it. A common problem in modern science and agriculture has been to try solving human problems without taking into consideration the way the system was designed.

Chaya, here I come!

#18

Loren, just let me know if you want some chaya cuttings. I am near Quimistan. On the road from San Pedro to Entrada Copan. If you want to visit us. Otherwise, could send a package to you. Glen

#19

When you come for chaya cuttings, can give you a variety of other cuttings that are much more productive than chaya and palatable to most all farm animals…chickens, pigs, rabbits, sheep, goats, cows…and highly shade tolerant so can be grown in the shade of large trees. Has high protein content too.

#20

Found a couple of scientific research studies done on the topic. They basically say when chaya is fed as a supplement, it enhances the fermentation of the rumen which enhances digestibility. A corollary benefit is it tends to reduce parasites because of the enhanced rumen. Thus, I can see why feeding even a small amount as a supplement could have disproportionately large beneficial effects.

This is one of them.