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Grain amaranth has an energy content similar to that of cereal grains and about twice the amount of protein, with a superior amino acid composition. The grain would hence serve as a suitable substitute for maize grain in poultry feed and partly replace the expensive animal protein ingredients. However, acceptability and utilization of raw grain amaranth by poultry is poor probably due to the presence of heat labile anti-nutritional factors. Increasing levels of the raw grain in the diet results in declining feed intake and body weight gain (Waldroup et al. 1985; Laovoravit et al, 1986; Kabuage, 1996). Some of the anti-nutritional factors reported include tannins, trypsin inhibitors, lectins and saponins (Cheeke and Bronson, 1980; Lorenz and Wright, 1984; Calderon et al. 1985; Koeppe et al, 1985; Koeppe and Rupnow, 1988; Kabuage, 1996).

Illinois bundleflower (Desmanthus illinoensis) is a promising perennial for both forage and grain production. This herbaceous warm-season legume is indigenous to the North American prairies. Its natural distribution ranges north from Minnesota to Colorado, and south from Texas to Florida (Latting 1961). Several studies confirmed the potential of Illinois bundleflower as forage (Muncrief and Heizer 1985, Posler et al 1993, Beran et al 2000, Byun et al 2004) yielding as high as 8.6 Mg.ha-1 in Minnesota. Forage quality of Illinois bundleflower is comparable with alfalfa (Caperoon et al 2002). Illinois bundleflower can fix substantial amounts of nitrogen (Byun et al 2004) and Rhizobia inoculants are available to farmers (Beyaut et al in preparation). In Kansas, Illinois bundleflower has produced 1700 kg.ha-1 of seed with 38% crude protein content (Kulakov et al 1990). It is currently being bred for forage and grain production (Kulakov 1999, Cox et al 2002, Ehlke 2002, De Haan et al 2003).