High-tannin pasture plantings

High-tannin pasture plantings

Summary

Plants high in condensed tannins have been shown in numerous studies to help reduce the population of Haemonchus Contortus. This parasite can be a serious threat to small ruminant animals. These plants have been grown and used in the Southern United States for many years, but very little in the Northeast. This project will evaluate the ability to grow Sericea lespezda and Big Trefoil Lotus uliginosus, also known as L. pedunculatus in the Northeast. We will evaluate the plantings to see if they will survive Maine winters and be able to be grown as a perennial in pasture or whether they die and could only be used as an annual crop.

Lespedeza seedings from 2014 did not survive the winter in any of the plantings.  The large trefoil survived well at Beldings farm. The other plantings at MOFGA and Hamilton farm were very sparce. But considering the weed pressure in both of those plantings it was not surprising.

In 2015, both trefoil and lespedeza were tilled and broadcast seeded at couble the original rates, so now 8 lb./acre and 50 lbs./acre rate, respectively.  Establishment succeeded. 

Objectives/Performance Targets

This project will evaluate biomass production with .25 meter sq. plot sample harvesting. Dry Matter levels will determined by drying the samples in the microwave. Using randomized complete block design, we will plant 10’x10’ plots of each species alone and each in combination with perennial rye. These plantings will be done at MOFGA’s Common Ground Education center.

At the cooperating farms, 1/2 acre strips of trefoil and lespedeza will be tilled and broadcast seeded at the 4 lb./acre and 25lbs./acre rate.   The farms will graze the strips for 1-3 days depending on the plant population. These grazing will be on the same schedule as the manual harvests.

Accomplishments/Milestones

On the MOFGA Common Ground Fair site the plots described above were planted.

7/6/2015 Tilled and cultivated

7/2 Tilled and cultivated

7/7 planted planted Lespedeza and Trefoil with rye into 10x10plots

On Little Falls Farm ½ acre plots were planted at double the original seeding rate

May 2015 harrowed twice                                    

July 15, lightly harrowed to prepare seedbeds        

July 16, Seeded Sericea Lespedeza                     

July 21, Seeded Sericea Lespedeza                     

On Hamilton Farm 100×110 foot for each crop acre was planted at double the original seeding rate

7/2/2015, and 28 Tilled area to be seeded

7/15/14 Seeded Lespedeza and Trefoil by hand

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

We look forward to seeing the results of this years plantings that were all fairly well established in 2015, as shown by pictures from Hamilton farm and Beldings. The Beldings had much less weed pressure.  The project will extend into 2017 in order to improve the plantings and get a more credible result.

• 2014 planting Big Trefoil 2015 growth LLFarm
• Lespedeza and Big trefoil 2015 growth LFF
• Left Lespedeza 10-15 of 2015 planting, frost kill winter rye right. LFF
• Lespedeza and Smart weed HF
• Trefoil w/ weeds HF
• Lespedeza 2015 planting and growth LLF

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