Non-traditional Forages Non-traditional Forages for Central Appalachiafor Central Appalachia

Kim CassidaKim CassidaUSDA-ARS, Appalachian Farming Systems and Research Center USDA-ARS, Appalachian Farming Systems and Research Center

Beaver, West VirginiaBeaver, West Virginia

Control points for GIN in pasturesControl points for GIN in pastures

Direct controlDirect control

• Biochemical – plant secondary compounds toxic to GINBiochemical – plant secondary compounds toxic to GIN

• Mechanical – Mechanical – 1)1) structure of plant or sward impedes larval migrationstructure of plant or sward impedes larval migration2)2) interruption of GIN life cycle (tillage, haying)interruption of GIN life cycle (tillage, haying)

Indirect controlIndirect control

• better nutrition helps animals tolerate GIN loadbetter nutrition helps animals tolerate GIN load

Legume Pastures for Finishing Goats

Legume Pastures for Finishing Goats

Orchard grass

AlfalfaRed

Clover-grass

Forage mass (lb/acre) 2304a 2114ab 1985b

CP (%) 19.3b 23.8a 19.2b

TDN (%) 64.6c 68.9a 66.2b

IVTD (%) 72.6b 74.6a 72.0b

ADG (lb/d) 0.10 0.17 0.14

Objective: improve nutritionObjective: improve nutrition

2005 - 2007 2005 - 2007 June – Sept. June – Sept.

Rotational stockingRotational stocking10 paddocks10 paddocks40-day grazing cycle40-day grazing cycle(4d graze, 36d rest)(4d graze, 36d rest)

Stocking rate=Stocking rate= 16 kids/acre16 kids/acre

• Good yieldGood yield

• Best nutritive valueBest nutritive value

• ‘‘Alfagraze’ persisted for Alfagraze’ persisted for four years under four years under haying/grazinghaying/grazing

• Requires well-drained, Requires well-drained, neutral pH siteneutral pH site

• High-maintenanceHigh-maintenance

• P, K, and B fertilizerP, K, and B fertilizer

• Lime to maintain pHLime to maintain pH

• Leafhopper controlLeafhopper control

• Post-grazing stubble Post-grazing stubble should be mowed should be mowed shortshort

Legume Pastures for Finishing Goats – Alfalfa Legume Pastures for Finishing Goats – Alfalfa

Legume Pastures for Finishing Goats – Red Clover Legume Pastures for Finishing Goats – Red Clover

• Animal performance equal to Animal performance equal to alfalfa in the first year when alfalfa in the first year when clover was a pure standclover was a pure stand

• Proved difficult to maintain as a Proved difficult to maintain as a pure standpure stand

• Stubble should not be mowed Stubble should not be mowed after grazingafter grazing

• Poor regrowth during dry spellsPoor regrowth during dry spells

• Cool-season perennial Cool-season perennial bunchgrassbunchgrass

• Grows best in spring & fall, but Grows best in spring & fall, but also has good summer growthalso has good summer growth

• Adapted throughout AppalachiaAdapted throughout Appalachia

• Will reseed itselfWill reseed itself

• Good yield when well fertilized Good yield when well fertilized (150 lb N/acre/year)(150 lb N/acre/year)

• Very palatableVery palatable

• Prone to downy mildew (control Prone to downy mildew (control by harvesting and applying N)by harvesting and applying N)

• 2008/2009 – severe winterkill at 2008/2009 – severe winterkill at AFSRC for unknown reasonsAFSRC for unknown reasons

Stockpiled prairie brome, September 2007Stockpiled prairie brome, September 2007

Stockpiled Prairie Brome for Grass-finishing LambsStockpiled Prairie Brome for Grass-finishing Lambs

• ‘‘Dixon’ prairie bromegrassDixon’ prairie bromegrass

• Grazed in 2006 and 2007Grazed in 2006 and 2007

• Harvested two cuts of hay Harvested two cuts of hay (May, July)(May, July)

• Stockpiled forage for ~60 days Stockpiled forage for ~60 days (from Aug. 1 to Sept. 25)(from Aug. 1 to Sept. 25)

• Strip-grazed by Polypay-cross Strip-grazed by Polypay-cross ewe lambs (79 lb start wt) for 24 ewe lambs (79 lb start wt) for 24 days (Sept. 25 – Oct. 18)days (Sept. 25 – Oct. 18)

Stockpiled Prairie Brome for Grass-finishing LambsStockpiled Prairie Brome for Grass-finishing Lambs

Target forage utilization

50% 75%

lambs/acre 12 19

ADG (lb/d) 0.58 0.48

gain/lamb (lb) 14 12

final lamb wt (lb) 93 91

gain/acre (lb) 172 225

Oct. 10, 2006Oct. 10, 2006

Stockpiled Prairie Brome for Grass-finishing LambsStockpiled Prairie Brome for Grass-finishing Lambs

3969 lb forage/acre3969 lb forage/acreCPCP 19.2 % 19.2 % TDNTDN 68.3 % 68.3 % IVTDIVTD 75.0 % 75.0 % TNCTNC 9.0 %9.0 %

Chicory____________________________________Chicory____________________________________

• Short-lived perennial forb (2 to 3 Short-lived perennial forb (2 to 3 year stand life)year stand life)

• Excellent forage quality, high Excellent forage quality, high mineral content, good yieldmineral content, good yield

• Easy to establishEasy to establish

• Has helped control GIN in New Has helped control GIN in New ZealandZealand

• Reduced adult worms Reduced adult worms (Marley et al., 2003)(Marley et al., 2003)

• Reduced numbers of larvae Reduced numbers of larvae on forageon forage

• Reduced anemia (Burke et Reduced anemia (Burke et al., 2009)al., 2009)

Chicory is Not Always Palatable________________Chicory is Not Always Palatable________________

• Sesquiterpene lactones are bitter!Sesquiterpene lactones are bitter!

• S.L. content varies with variety and fertility S.L. content varies with variety and fertility

• Sheep preferred PunaSheep preferred Punaand Lacerta over and Lacerta over Forage Feast (Foster Forage Feast (Foster et al., 2002)et al., 2002)

• Goat kids showed no Goat kids showed no preferences among preferences among Puna, Lacerta, and Puna, Lacerta, and Forage Feast (Cassida Forage Feast (Cassida et al., 2008)et al., 2008)

Phosphorus Fertilizer and Chicory______________Phosphorus Fertilizer and Chicory______________

• P fertilizer did not affect stand establishmentP fertilizer did not affect stand establishment

• Increasing soil test P from 25 to 47 lb/acre increased annual chicory Increasing soil test P from 25 to 47 lb/acre increased annual chicory yield by 27% in WVyield by 27% in WV

• P fertilizer did not have practical benefit on stand persistenceP fertilizer did not have practical benefit on stand persistence

Pennsylvania

2004 2005 2006

Cu

mu

lati

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/ac

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West Virginia

2004 2005 2006

25 lb/ac47 lb/ac70 lb/ac

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Chicory Varieties Compared_____________Chicory Varieties Compared_____________

• All varieties yielded best in second yearAll varieties yielded best in second year

• In PA, peak yield single-year from Lacerta but it died by third yearIn PA, peak yield single-year from Lacerta but it died by third year

• In WV, Puna and Lacerta yielded well in second year, Puna best in In WV, Puna and Lacerta yielded well in second year, Puna best in third yearthird year

• Forage Feast susceptible to frost-heavingForage Feast susceptible to frost-heaving

Pennsylvania

2004 2005 2006

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West Virginia

2004 2005 2006

PunaForage FeastLacerta

cc

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Condensed Tannins_________________________Condensed Tannins_________________________

PROPRO

•Prevent bloatPrevent bloat

•Reduce protein degradabilityReduce protein degradability

•Anthelmintic activityAnthelmintic activity

• Reduced FEC, egg hatch, larval activity, and number of Reduced FEC, egg hatch, larval activity, and number of adult worms in grazing goats (Min et al., 2004; 2005) adult worms in grazing goats (Min et al., 2004; 2005)

• Increased goat weight gain and immune response (Min et Increased goat weight gain and immune response (Min et al., 2005)al., 2005)

CONCON

• UnpalatableUnpalatable

• Toxic in very high concentrationsToxic in very high concentrations

• Needs to be a constant part of the diet, anthelmintic effect Needs to be a constant part of the diet, anthelmintic effect disappears within 7 d of removal from dietdisappears within 7 d of removal from diet

Sericea Lespedeza_________________________Sericea Lespedeza_________________________

•Warm-season perennial legumeWarm-season perennial legume

•Tolerates poor fertility and pHTolerates poor fertility and pH

•Anthelmintic activity when fed Anthelmintic activity when fed as pasture, hay, or pelleted hay as pasture, hay, or pelleted hay

PROBLEMS:PROBLEMS:

•Reputation as a noxious Reputation as a noxious weedweed

•Slow establishment Slow establishment

•Poor cold tolerance (very Poor cold tolerance (very short growing season, high short growing season, high risk of winterkill)risk of winterkill)

•Slow regrowthSlow regrowth

•Poor tolerance of continuous Poor tolerance of continuous stockingstocking

•Limited flexibility for Limited flexibility for grazing in WVgrazing in WV

Our research focused on use as Our research focused on use as hay in our regionhay in our region

Birdsfoot Trefoil_____________________________Birdsfoot Trefoil_____________________________

• Cool-season perennial legumeCool-season perennial legume

• Non-bloatingNon-bloating

• Tolerates wetter and more acid Tolerates wetter and more acid soils than many legumes soils than many legumes

• Good cold toleranceGood cold tolerance

• Anthelmintic activity when fed as Anthelmintic activity when fed as pasture, but unclear whether pasture, but unclear whether benefit is CT or better nutritionbenefit is CT or better nutrition

Establishment is a problemEstablishment is a problem

• Slow and risky to establishSlow and risky to establish

• Best sown in mixturesBest sown in mixtures

• Can be frost-seededCan be frost-seeded

• Do not use Pursuit herbicide to Do not use Pursuit herbicide to control broadleaf weeds in trefoil!control broadleaf weeds in trefoil!

• Varieties differ in CT contentVarieties differ in CT content

• Common variety ‘Norcen’ Common variety ‘Norcen’ has one of the lowest CT has one of the lowest CT values (1.3%)values (1.3%)

• ‘‘Pardee’ has twice the CT of Pardee’ has twice the CT of Norcen (2.6%)Norcen (2.6%)

• 2.5 to 4.5% CT is the 2.5 to 4.5% CT is the desirable reference range for desirable reference range for GIN control (Min et al., 2003)GIN control (Min et al., 2003)

• Grazing TrialGrazing Trial

• began this yearbegan this year

• compare trefoil, red clover, compare trefoil, red clover, and chicory for finishing and chicory for finishing goatsgoats

Birdsfoot Trefoil Research_____________________Birdsfoot Trefoil Research_____________________

Birdsfoot trefoil variety tannin comparison at AFSRC

Birdsfoot trefoil and red clover pastures, 8 July 2009

Forage Brassicas___________________________Forage Brassicas___________________________

• Annual forbs (turnips, tyfon, rape, kale, swedes)Annual forbs (turnips, tyfon, rape, kale, swedes)

• Outstanding cold tolerance – excellent for fall Outstanding cold tolerance – excellent for fall stockpilingstockpiling

• Typical yield up to 6000 lb/acreTypical yield up to 6000 lb/acre

• Outstanding forage quality (“high moisture Outstanding forage quality (“high moisture concentrate”)concentrate”)

• Pasture finished lamb Pasture finished lamb ADG of 0.24 to 0.55 lb/dADG of 0.24 to 0.55 lb/d

• Historically used as Historically used as forage for dairy goats in forage for dairy goats in EuropeEurope

• Potential for meat goats Potential for meat goats unknownunknown

• No-till with herbicide sod suppression No-till with herbicide sod suppression not a reliable method for turnip or rape not a reliable method for turnip or rape establishment on hill pastures (planting establishment on hill pastures (planting failed 37% of time, especially for turnip)failed 37% of time, especially for turnip)

• Using Roundup for sod suppression Using Roundup for sod suppression reduced next-year hay yields by up to reduced next-year hay yields by up to 42%42%

• Conclusion: brassicas should not be no-Conclusion: brassicas should not be no-tilled into productive pastures, but can tilled into productive pastures, but can be useful as first step of renovation of be useful as first step of renovation of poor pastures poor pastures

Forage Brassicas & No-Till_____________________Forage Brassicas & No-Till_____________________

• Brassica plants are toxic to pathogenic Brassica plants are toxic to pathogenic soil nematodessoil nematodes

• Brassicas can cause anemiaBrassicas can cause anemia? How do brassicas interact with GIN ?? How do brassicas interact with GIN ?

In a 4-week pen-feeding study:In a 4-week pen-feeding study:

• GIN-free goats fed hay-based diet GIN-free goats fed hay-based diet gained more weight than those fed gained more weight than those fed turnip-based diet … but parasitized turnip-based diet … but parasitized goats gained more weight on turnips goats gained more weight on turnips than haythan hay

• Parasitized goats were anemic on both Parasitized goats were anemic on both diets…but turnips did not make anemia diets…but turnips did not make anemia worseworse

In a laboratory assay:In a laboratory assay:

• Turnip and rape extracts did not reduce Turnip and rape extracts did not reduce HaemonchusHaemonchus larval motility larval motility

More research needed to resolve More research needed to resolve conflicting results…conflicting results…

Forage Brassicas & Forage Brassicas & HaemonchusHaemonchus____________________________