Forage herbs improve mineral composition of grassland herbage

Abstract

Provision of an adequate mineral supply in the diets of ruminants fed mainly on grassland herbage can present a challenge if mineral concentrations are suboptimal for animal nutrition. Forage herbs may be included in grassland seed mixtures to improve herbage mineral content, although there is limited information about mineral concentrations in forage herbs. To determine whether herbs have greater macro-and micromineral concentrations than forage legumes and grasses, we conducted a 2-year experiment on a loamy-sand site in Denmark sown with a multi-species mixture comprised of three functional groups (grasses, legumes and herbs). Herb species included chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.) and salad burnet (Sanguisorba minor L.). We also investigated the effect of slurry application on the macro-and micromineral concentration of grasses, legumes and herbs. In general, herbs had greater concentrations of the macrominerals P, Mg, K and S and the microminerals Zn and B than grasses and legumes. Slurry application indirectly decreased Ca, S, Cu and B concentrations of total herbage because of an increase in the proportion of mineral-poor grasses. Our study indicates that including herbs in forage mixtures is an effective way of increasing mineral concentrations in herbage.

Preliminary estimation of forage yield and feeding value of Lupinus angustifolius varieties cultivated in Jalisco, México, during the cool season

“…Different leguminous forage species are a significant source of minerals for ruminants, but compared to grasses, they have been less studied. Although there are no studies conducted to evaluate the mineral composition in lupin forage species, the mean content of minerals such as K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, and Zn in the forage of six lupin varieties tested in the present study (Table 3) was similar to values reported by Pirhofer-Walzl et al (2011) and Tiemann et al (2009), who analyzed the mineral concentrations of different leguminous forages and also legumes with forage potential in Denmark and Colombia, respectively. The few and small differences between Lupinus angustifolius varieties in terms of mineral concentrations found in this study agree with the findings by Forbes and Gelman (1981) and Lindström et al (2013), who studied the perennial legumes white clover (Trifolium repens), Birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus), and red clover (Trifolium pratense), and reported that the differences in minerals were generally few and negligible among varieties within species.…”

Boron fertilisation of organically managed grass-clover swards on coarse-textured soils: effects on botanical and element composition

“…In a Danish study Ca, S, Cu and B concentrations in the forage mixture decreased, due to diminished proportion of legumes as a result of slurry application, which favoured the grasses (Pirhofer-Walzl et al 2011). …”

“…The botanical composition of a sward is crucial for the nutrient status of the forage (Pirhofer-Walzl et al 2011, Lindström et al 2013. Forage based on legume crops, normally has higher mineral and crude protein content but lower structural fibre content and higher digestion rate of the fibre, resulting in higher intake compared to grasses (Frame et al 1998, Lindström et al 2013).…”

“…Every situation is unique, depending on animal breed, age and production intensity, together with environmental conditions (Suttle 2010). Sward species composition (grasses, legumes and herbs) also influences the nutrient composition of forage, as element concentrations vary between species (Pirhofer-Walzl et al 2011, Lindström et al 2013. Even weeds can be of interest in this context (Johansen 2009).…”

Forbs differentially affect soil microbial community composition and functions in unfertilized ryegrass-red clover leys

“…Agronomists have recently identified several competitive perennial forbs, such as chicory (Cichorium intybus L.), caraway (Carum carvi L.) and plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) (Elgersma et al, 2014;Hogh-Jensen et al, 2006;Sanderson et al, 2003). Adding these forbs to the productive grassclover mixtures can further enhance herbage yield and root biomass , increase uptake of mineral nutrients from deep soil layers (Pirhofer-Walzl et al, 2011) and improve animal performance in terms of meat production and milk quality (Somasiri et al, 2015). Yet, it remains largely unexplored whether including these forbs in grassclover mixtures can influence soil microbial community composition and associated carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) cycling, which is crucial for assessing their potential for soil C sequestration and soil N fertility.…”