Calling it the queen of legumes, researchers are looking for ways to get more alfalfa into prairie pastures.
Alfalfa can improve pasture yields, soil fertility and cattle performance when included as part of the pasture makeup.
But there is a drawback.
Alfalfa can cause cattle to bloat, said John Popp, a livestock specialist with Manitoba Agriculture. That risk may cause producers to shy away from it as part of their pasture mixture.
Popp and other researchers are hoping to remove much of that risk. They are testing on what they call a “reduced-bloat” alfalfa. They are also studying what happens when legumes such as sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil are included in the pasture mix.
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AC Grazeland was released as a foundation cultivar this year. Developed by Agriculture Canada and marketed by Pickseed, the alfalfa variety was chosen for creating less bloat and lower rates of initial digestion.
Previous testing by Ag Canada showed promising results. Under severe bloating conditions, cattle grazing AC Grazeland had an 83 percent reduction in the incidence of bloat compared to regular alfalfa.
Researchers believe another way to curb the risk of bloat is to include legumes containing condensed tannins in the pasture mix. Sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil both have condensed tannins, which stop the formation of gas bubbles in the rumen and enable cattle to belch off accumulated gas.
Popp said combining either of those legumes with alfalfa should protect against bloat. It can also promote higher weight gains within the herd.
Research has already shown that sainfoin can eliminate bloat when it makes up 20 percent of the diet of cattle eating alfalfa. Researchers now want to know how well those legumes can be adapted to prairie pastures.
Sainfoin and birdsfoot trefoil are harder to establish than alfalfa, Popp said. Alfalfa also yields better and has greater seedling vigor.
Demonstration trials are under way this year to compare strip-seeded alfalfa/sanfoin and alfalfa/birdsfoot trefoil stands with AC Grazeland/meadow brome-grass and pure meadow bromegrass stands.
The legumes were seeded in alternating rows, giving the sainfoin and trefoil a better chance to compete with the alfalfa. For example, in a pasture seeded with sainfoin and alfalfa, every second row would be seeded with sainfoin.
Researchers will look at things such as establishment success, pasture yield and the performance of cattle grazing the different mixtures.
Several demonstration trials are also looking at strip-seeding alfalfa and sainfoin on farms at Minnedosa and Killarney, Man.
Popp is hopeful about what they will learn from the research.
“Alfalfa really is the queen of legumes in terms of its ability to yield and provide quality on pasture,” he said.
“If we could graze the stuff bloat-free, there’s a lot higher dollar return.”
