Miscellaneous

Forbs

Description
Forbs are a crop that has some valuable advantages for your livestock. They are known for their exceptionally high energy levels, and also have high protein levels at 20-23%.  Forbs are a very mineral-rich grazing herb. Two forbs that are a very good fit for pasture grazing are chicory and plantain.  Chicory can be a little harder to manage due to its tendency of going to seed in the summer. Also, to be the most productive, it needs more rest periods. Plantain fits very well into grazing mixes and has excellent regrowth as well as very high digestibility.

Management
Forbs need to be managed properly. Chicory is not very  persistent if it does not get a 25-day rest period between grazings. It can be used in a wide range of soil types and can be planted as a monoculture. Plantain is not recommended for use as a monoculture, but works very well with brassicas for pasture. It is ready to be grazed when the leaf tears before the plant is pulled out. Yield data shows over 6 tons of dry matter for well managed plantain.

Establishment
Establishment into a firm seedbed is imperative. The monoculture seeding rate is 5 to 8 lbs. per acre and 1 to 2 lbs. per acre in mixes. Forbs respond well to fertilizers, especially nitrogen.

Birdsfoot Trefoil

A long lived legume, Trefoil is high yielding and used for haying and grazing. Trefoil often does well on soil with poorer drainage and lower pH that is not suited for alfalfa. It long outlives red clover. No cases of bloat have been recorded in animals grazing Trefoil. Seeding rate is 6-12 lb./A.

Lespedeza

Lespedeza is an annual warm-season legume from the pea family, similar to clover, that produces tremendous yields of summer forage, is disease-resistant, retains more leaves, boosts pasture yields, and reduces the effects of endophyte toxicity, while reducing nitrogen fertilizer needs.  Lespedeza performs better on marginal soils than clovers, legumes, etc. Seeding rate is 12-15 lb./A.