Tedera proves its value as a summer and autumn feed for sheep in Mediterranean-like climates

Abstract

Tedera (Bituminaria bituminosa C.H Stirt. vars. albomarginata and crassiuscula) is a traditional forage species for goats in the Canary Islands, Spain. It has agronomic characteristics ideally suited to Mediterranean-like climates that allows it to provide high quality green forage for grazing animals during summer and autumn. It can be used to extend the growing season into late spring and early summer and/or to reduce or eliminate the need for expensive hand feeding of grain and hay to sheep to fill the ‘feed gap’ during the dry season in southern Australian farming systems. Three sheep grazing experiments were carried out with the objective to evaluate sheep production during summer and autumn with tedera as the sole diet. A 3-ha site at Dandaragan, Western Australia was grazed during the summer and autumn of 2014–2015 and 2016 and a 2.4-ha site was grazed at Kojonup, Western Australia during the same period in 2016. At each site, two grazing treatments were evaluated, continuous grazing and rotational grazing with six plots (14 days of grazing and 70 days of recovery). The first hypothesis tested was that tedera plants would not survive continuous grazing during summer and autumn. The second hypothesis tested was that without hand feeding, 10 dry sheep equivalents/ha would be able to at least maintain weight and condition score during summer and autumn. The third hypothesis tested was that rotational grazing would improve the production of the sheep (liveweight and condition score) compared with continuous grazing. The first hypothesis was rejected, the population of tedera plants did not significantly decline due to being continuously grazed during summer and autumn. The second hypothesis was confirmed, at the three experimental sites, 10 dry sheep equivalents/ha were able to at least maintain weight and condition score without any hand feeding. The third hypothesis was partially rejected; continuous grazing had a better performance of the sheep than rotational grazing. However, the rotational grazing plots had more tedera on offer in the remaining grazing plots in the rotation with the potential for a longer grazing time. These three experiments clearly demonstrate that tedera can be used to reduce or eliminate expensive hand feeding during summer and autumn using the simplest and least expensive grazing management; continuous grazing.

The Roles of Adoption and Behavior Change in Agricultural Policy

“…For example, Finlayson et al () report on an economically attractive perennial pasture species that was purposefully selected and bred to be highly adoptable by Australian farmers, with the aim of mitigating dryland soil salinity. It is expected that this new species will be sufficiently attractive to farmers to be widely adopted without the need for incentive payments (Real et al ), in the process improving soil quality as a spillover benefit.…”

Effects of two water regimes on morphological traits, nutritive value and physiology of three Bituminaria bituminosa varieties from the Canary Islands

“…These Canarian varieties show higher CP and lower NDF and ADF content than Mediterranean rainfed grasslands, at a similar phenological stage (Henkin et al., 2011; Vázquez De Aldana et al., 2008; Zarovali et al., 2007). This higher nutritive value together with its drought and grazing tolerances make this species a promising fodder plant for Mediterranean grasslands (Oldham et al., 2013; Real et al., 2017; Sternberg et al., 2006).…”

“…In recent years, there has been a growing interest in these varieties of B. bituminosa because of their drought resistance and good forage aptitude, especially BAM, which has been established as the most drought‐resistant variety (Martínez‐Fernández et al., 2012; Raeside et al., 2012). Its aptitude as a fodder plant in Mediterranean‐like climates has been tested in Australia and Israel, showing promising results (Oldham et al., 2013; Real et al., 2017; Sternberg et al., 2006). The large genetic diversity of B. bituminosa is a promising source for breeding programs (Foster et al., 2013; Pazos‐Navarro et al., 2011).…”

Critical Agronomic Practices for Establishing the Recently Domesticated Perennial Herbaceous Forage Legume Tedera in Mediterranean-like Climatic Regions in Western Australia

“…Four grazing experiments were conducted during summer and autumn in Western Australia from 2014 to 2017. These experiments demonstrated that tedera can be reliably grown as a monoculture and preserved as green pasture to be grazed directly by sheep or cattle to fill feed gaps and/or to reduce expensive supplementary feeding during summer and autumn [13].…”