Brassica & Forage Crops
Instantly download our Brassica & Forage Crops Guide for practical management advice.
Lucerne is a highly nutritious forage for livestock. It combines good digestibility with high proteins providing excellent milk yields or daily live weight gains. A more mature hay crop would be more suitable for feeding young stock.
Potential
- One of the most underrated and underutilised forage crops available to livestock farmers in the UK
- To utilise lucerne, ensure a minimum of 50% flowering (50% of the tallest stems have a flower) prior to the first grazing/cutting.
- If the stand is weedy at establishment it can be grazed/cut ONCE if it is 15-20cm tall and then left to flower to a minimum of 50%
- >300 - 500 g/hd/d – rotationally grazed or cut
- High MJME and high protein, which is easily digested.
Advantages
- Perennial - Well managed crops can persist for up to 5 years
- Performs well in free draining, drier environments due to tap roots
- Dual purpose.
Limitations
- Legume – pH 6.0 and high levels of P to establish
- Requires good management
- For more information and advice on management, please contact us for the guide.
Sowing rate: 8-10kg/acre (20-25kg/ha). Drill at 5 - 12mm deep on normal soils or up to 25mm on light sandy soils.
Pack sizes: Available in pack sizes 25kg