Lebeckia ambigua is a perennial legume endemic to rangeland South Africa that is adapted to dry (< 400-mm annual rainfall), infertile and acidic (below pH 5.5_Ca) soils. Although it is considered that the legume was grazed by mammalian ungulates during its evolution, little is known about its production, nutritive value for grazing animals or optimal management in an agricultural context, in either its centre of the origin or in Australia. Experiments were conducted to test the hypotheses that sheep would graze L. ambigua in autumn without adverse effects on either the animal or the plant. Lebeckia ambigua was established at two sites in Western Australia. In experiment 1, three grazing intensities were imposed by exclusion cages introduced during a single intensive grazing period, to provide differing residual pasture heights. The metabolisable energy and crude protein content of L. ambigua were more than 11.4 MJ/kg dry matter and 21%, respectively for all treatments. Un-grazed L. ambigua produced 1740 kg DM/ha while a single moderate or severe grazing reduced total biomass production by about 50% over 10 weeks post-grazing (P < 0.001). In experiment 2, continuous grazing of L. ambigua for 64 days had no negative impacts on biochemical health indicators of merino wethers. Grazing had no effect on plant density in either experiment indicating that L. ambigua is adapted to substantial grazing pressure in autumn. Lebeckia ambigua could become a valuable plant for sustainably increasing livestock production on infertile soils in rain-fed agro-ecosystems where other legumes fail.

Lebeckia ambigua是南非牧场特有的多年生豆科植物，适合干燥（年降雨量 < 400 毫米）、贫瘠和酸性（pH 值低于 5.5 _Ca）土壤。尽管人们认为豆科植物在其进化过程中被哺乳动物有蹄类动物放牧，但对其生产、放牧动物的营养价值或农业环境中的最佳管理知之甚少，无论是在其起源中心还是在澳大利亚。进行了实验以检验绵羊会在秋季放牧L. ambigua而不会对动物或植物产生不利影响的假设。韭菜成立于西澳大利亚的两个地点。在实验 1 中，通过在单个密集放牧期间引入的排除笼施加三种放牧强度，以提供不同的剩余牧场高度。在所有处理中，L. ambigua的代谢能和粗蛋白含量分别超过 11.4 MJ/kg 干物质和 21%。未放牧的L. ambigua产生了 1740 kg DM/ha，而在放牧后 10 周内，一次中度或重度放牧使总生物量产量减少了约 50% ( P  < 0.001)。实验二连续放牧L. ambigua64 天对美利奴羊的生化健康指标没有负面影响。在这两个实验中，放牧对植物密度都没有影响，表明L. ambigua适应了秋季的大量放牧压力。Lebeckia ambigua可能成为一种有价值的植物，可在其他豆科植物失败的雨养农业生态系统的贫瘠土壤上可持续地增加牲畜产量。