All have stolons, which are stems that creep on the ground, with branches that are erect or upward slanting. There are two types of sweet clover: white-flowered and yellow-flowered. It grows best on deep, fertile soils, but will tolerate variable drainage and low fertility. Sweet clover is a slow-growing biennial often used to alleviate compaction. In northern parts of the U.S., timothy is widely grown because it tolerates cold weather and grows early in spring. Legumes used for hay include alfalfa, various types of clover (such as red, crimson, alsike and ladino), lespedeza, birds-foot trefoil, vetch, soybean and cowpeas. Baling twines in hay can also be hazardous if eaten. With the development of grazing tolerant varieties, more alfalfa is being used for grazing. White sweet clover is deeper rooted, taller and coarser, which makes it more suitable as cover crop than for forage. Grasses such as orchardgrass and the ryegrasses tend to be more competitive with alfalfa than timothy or bromegrass. Cereal grain crops (especially oats) are sometimes cut while still green and growing, rather than waiting for the seed heads to mature for grain. A very large tap root gives legumes such as alfalfa, kura clover and sweetclover greater drought tolerance than other forage legumes. In a crop rotation program, they can significantly improve soil nitrogen levels by nitrogen fixation or by incorporation in soil as a green manure crop. About 2/3 of the energy and 3/4 of the protein and other nutrients are in the leaves of a forage plant (whether grass or legume). Most dairy cattle will not milk adequately on grass hay, nor on stemmy, coarse alfalfa without many leaves. Ongoing studies at Utah State University are demonstrating that spring-born cattle can be finished on legume pastures in a time frame similar to feedlot-finished cattle. Current recommended reed canarygrass varieties are free of tryptomine and carboline alkaloids, which cause poor performance. Orchardgrass develops earlier and is much more aggressive than timothy or bromegrass. The hay can be tested for nitrate content if you are considering using this type of hay. If buying grass hay, maturity at harvest will also make a difference in its nutrient quality. It is a bunchgrass with limited tillering ability, which makes it non-aggressive when sown with other species. This will influence the grass-to-legume ratio of an established stand. Not only does it not require nitrogen fertilizer, Rio Verde lablab is found palatable by both cattle and wildlife, says its developer, Ray Smith, Experiment Station plant breeder based at Overton, TX. Reed canarygrass spreads by rhizomes. As a feed crop, red clover is most often stored as silage since it is difficult to dry, and often results in "dusty" or "moldy" hay. Rotational graz- ing will increase production and life of the stand. Grasses are lower in protein than legumes when cut at a similar stage of development. Alfalfa cut at full bloom drops to 15.5 percent crude protein, compared to 6.9 percent for late bloom timothy and 7.6 percent for late bloom orchard grass. Moldy hay, or hay that heated too much after being baled will usually be heavy, stuck together,  and dusty. Legumes also supply a considerable amount of nitrogen to the grass portion of the mixture. While it is a non-native (native to Asia), this plant is well adapted to North Florida, and has been successfully utilized as a summer hay crop, often planted on cultivated fields following cool-season grasses for grazing, silage or hay. These plants can provide a highly digestible, high-protein diet. The inside should still be green, however, even if the outer edges have faded due to exposure to rain and sun. Your email address will not be published. Kelln also said the cost per acre to seed the legumes, amortized over the suggested typical 10-year life of a pasture, was $24.49 for the cicer milkvetch and $21.97 for the sainfoin. In central and southern parts of the country you are more apt to find Coastal Bermuda grass, brome or orchard grass because these tolerate heat and humidity better. Straw (aftermath from harvest of oats, barley or wheat) provides energy — created by fermentation breakdown in the rumen. It can grow on soils that are acidic and poorly drained. It will reseed itself, making it an excellent choice for steep or stony land not suitable for cultivating. Required fields are marked *. The hay will be more nutrient dense and digestible (with less woody lignin), than if the stems snap like twigs. Odor also gives a good clue to quality. Alfalfa hay that has heated excessively may be brown and “caramelized,” smelling sweet or a little bit like molasses. Other factors that affect nutritional value include plant species, fertility of soil, harvesting methods (whether the hay was crimped and conditioned to dry faster, losing less leaves and nutrients during drying) and curing time. GRASS/LEGUME PASTURE MIXTURES Increasing pasture productivity and profit potential Growing and finishing cattle on pasture rather than on conserved forage (e.g. Barley straw is not as well liked, and wheat straw is least desirable as feed. Th e hay supply for winter feeding comes primarily from excess cool-season forage grasses in spring and is usually harvested too late for highest quality and animal performance. Some of these native grasses, when cut before seed heads mature, are very palatable and high enough in protein content for calves and lactating cows, without having to add a supplemental protein source. They require high levels of phosphorus, potassium and, in acid soil, lime. Perennial ryegrass is a short-lived perennial that comes in turf, pasture and hay-adapted varieties. It spreads by underground stems called rhizomes, has an extensive root system and thickens with time. ©2020 University of Massachusetts Amherst • Site Policies, Best Management Practices (BMP)/Environmental Protection, Center for Agriculture, Food, and the Environment, Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment. Alsike clover can cause photosensitivity and liver damage in horses, so it should not be included in horse hay or pasture mixtures. Many of the native or volunteer plants that grow in uncultivated hayfields are good, nutritious grasses that make acceptable hay for beef cattle. Young calves have small, tender mouths and cannot chew coarse hay very well—whether grass or alfalfa. When selecting forage species factors such as the type of animal that will be grazing, whether the field is used as pasture or for hay production, soil condition, and geographic characteristics need to be considered.  The characteristics of some perennial legumes and grasses that are suitable to grow in Massachusetts are described below.Â. Grasses with rhizomes are capable of thickening up a stand. During cold weather you need to feed your cattle more roughage, rather than more legume hay. Your email address will not be published. Cool-season or temperate legumes produce most of thei… They have very fibrous roots that help bind the soil together, thereby reducing erosion. If a handful of hay bends easily in your hand, the fiber content is relatively low. Proper soil fertility and pH, along with well-drained soils, are critical for high forage yields and long-lived stands. Alsike produces only one cut of hay per year and is not normally a preferred forage legume. Alfalfais a perennial legume that is difficult to establish in existing pasture, but will persist for three to four years under grazing conditions. Early bloom alfalfa (cut before the blossoms open) has about 18 percent crude protein, compared with 9.8 percent for early bloom timothy (before seed heads fill), 11.4 percent for early bloom orchard grass, and lower levels for most other grasses. It is recommended for intensively managed pastures or as very early-cut haylage. Coarse, thick-stemmed hay (overly mature) has more fiber and less nutrition than immature, leafy hay with finer stems. Although individual plants live for only a few years, stands of birdsfoot trefoil have remained productive for 10 or more years when allowed to go to seed. Although some varieties have been developed for improved regrowth, regrowth after first-cut and mid-season production is not as high as that from either bromegrass or orchardgrass. It can, however, provide high yields on well-drained soils and will produce higher yields than other grass species during dry conditions. The ability of these plants to fix atmospheric nitrogen makes them an inexpensive protein source. Temperate legumes include clovers, medics, peas, vetch and alfalfa. There are three general types of white clover: ladino, white Dutch, and small wild white. Th e bulk of hay for beef cattle is stored in large round bales dry hay with 6 to 10% protein to young clover with over 25% protein (dry weight basis) and a moisture content of about 85% is a shock to the microflora and protozoa in the rumen. A tall fescue pasture without legumes for spring grazing and stockpiling for winter will be added during 1996 to alleviate much of the hay feeding. Legumes have the unique ability to fix their own nitrogen if they are properly inoculated (nitrogen-fixing bacteria is added to the legume seed before planting). Alfalfa stems, for example, are woody, serving as structural support for the plant. In drought years when hay is scarce, it will cost a lot more than on years when there is plentiful supply. Reed canarygrass is best known for its ability to tolerate poorly drained soils. Smooth bromegrass is an earlier, more aggressive grass than timothy. Calves often chew on and eat twines, which can create fatal blockage in the gut. Alyceclover is a popular legume for use as a hay and cover crop in Southeastern U.S. Types of Hay. Relative cost for hay will vary around the country, with cost reflecting supply and demand — along with freight costs to haul it. One way to assess maturity of alfalfa hay is the snap test. If harvested properly, this makes good hay, especially when it is grown with peas (a legume). It is best used in rotational grazing. We’ll give you an overview of common hay options for your livestock. Moldy sweet clover hay may contain dicoumarol, which can prevent normal blood clotting and result in the death of livestock from bleeding. Turf-type perennial ryegrasses contain endophytes, so they should not be used for forage. Oat straw is the most palatable; cattle like it quite well. Some grasses have rhizomes or underground stems that produce new shoots at each node. Legume hay is known for its high protein and calcium levels, as well being rich in vitamins and minerals. Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, particularly for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, donkeys, goats, and sheep.However, it is also fed to smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. It produces more protein per unit area than other forage legumes and can be grown alone or in combination with various grass species. Good hay will be uniformly green and smell good, with no brown spots or moldy portions. Meadow bromegrass is useful as a pasture species because of its early spring growth and faster recovery rate after grazing. During the breakdown of fiber in the rumen, heat and energy are created. In the spring of the second year, it grows quickly to become a tall, coarse-stemmed plant. Alsike clover is a perennial although it is often treated as a biennial. The quality of the hay needed will also depend on whether you are feeding mature beef cattle, young calves, or dairy cattle. Alfalfa is normally sown between mid-August and … Reed canarygrass is slow to establish and is not competitive in the year of seeding. The bottom layer of bales may also be moldy if the stack sat on ground that draws moisture. Thus legume hay, cut early, is more apt to meet the protein and mineral needs of young growing animals, pregnant and lactating animals than will many of the grass hays. In contrast, the more fibrous, shallow root systems of other legumes, such as white and alsike clover, reduce their drought resistance. Hay should smell good, not musty, sour or moldy. Regrowth is vegetative and does not form a seed head, so second- and third-cuts can be high quality. Legume forages might also be considered for a livestock operation. Legumes such as alfalfa may have 50 to 60 percent total digestible nutrients (TDN), whereas mature grass hays have 45 to 50 percent TDN. White clover has low tolerance to drought but is relatively tolerant to frequent grazing and has good palatability. As a family, legumes produce higher quantities of protein than grasses. Selecting the right species is the fundamental first step in forage management. Well-managed alfalfa normally persists for 3 or more years. In Florida, the following types of hay … Primarily composed of annual grasses that need replanting each year. In pastures, they serve as a bottom grass that controls weed invasion, withstands close grazing and tramping, and fills in when other species thin out.Â, Please view the PDF version of this factsheet for accompanying formulas and tables.Â, UMass Research and Education Center Farms, Conservation Assessment Prioritization System (CAPS), Extension Risk Management/Crop Insurance Education, North American Aquatic Connectivity Collaborative, Civil Rights and Non-Discrimination Information. If buying alfalfa hay, you’ll want to know if it is first, second or third cutting (or later), and at what stage of growth it was harvested. Proper nutrition for common livestock such as cattle, sheep, goats, and horses is vital. I get a little naturally occurring alfalfa that comes from the purchased hay I feed, but most of the legume is clover. Providing a supplement with an ionophore such as Rumensin® as well as the use of poloxalene (Bloatguard®) several days before turning cattle into pasture with legumes can help reduce the risk of bloat. Yields are good the year after establishment but are often quite low the following year. As long as the plant mix is predominantly grasses of palatable types (rather than weeds or swamp grasses), meadow hay is quite adequate for winter feed—especially for mature cows that don’t need high levels of protein. Alfalfa (/ æ l ˈ f æ l f ə /), also called lucerne and called Medicago sativa in binomial nomenclature, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae.It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. Cattle can generally tolerate dustier hay than can horses, and can often eat a little mold without problems. There is always some risk of nitrate poisoning, however, if cereal grain hays are harvested after a spurt of growth following a drought period. Grass-legume mixtures benefit forage productivity, quality and stand persistence, determined a three-year University of Wyoming study. It develops coarse stems and leaves, and quickly loses palatability and digestibility after heading. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop.The name alfalfa is used in North America. Temperate legumes include clovers, medics, peas, vetch and alfalfa. Cattle like it, but some of the nutrients have been cooked; much of the protein and vitamin A have been destroyed. hay, silage) can be more profitable due to lower cost per kilogram of weight gain in livestock. Alfalfa is the most frequently grown forage legume and the highest-yielding perennial forage crop grown in many countries. 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