Other Forage

There are many forages grown for livestock feed, and today there are some new options.

Myths surrounding cover crops typically fall into one of two camps. The first camp is that of detriment, with concerns about available moisture being sucked up in a drought-prone area or fear that cash crop yields will be hurt. The second is misplaced expectations – placing cover crops on a pedestal as the Holy Grail to simultaneously fix every production woe.

Sainfoin is an old forage that is receiving renewed interest. It is known as a legume that has low bloat potential and also suppresses internal parasites in ruminants.

Often referred to as “the alfalfa of the South,” the addition of perennial peanut into forage systems has been a game-changer for many Florida cattlemen looking to improve their ranch’s performance.

Spring cereal forages are an important part of the total forage program. In the last few years, the industry has seen an increase in the use of these spring annuals.

New forage varieties are filling gaps in the grazing calendar with perennial pastures or cover crops, enabling cattle to graze more of the year or providing higher-quality forage for beef production or dairy.