Yield, Morphological Characteristics, and Chemical Composition of European‐ and Mediterranean‐Derived Birdsfoot Trefoil Cultivars Grown in the Colder Continental United States

Abstract

North American birdsfoot trefoil (BFT, Lotus corniculatus L.) cultivars such as Norcen produce forage with low condensed tannin (CT) concentrations that may be insufficient for optimal livestock performance. Our objective was to identify European‐ and Mediterranean‐derived cultivars with higher CT concentrations that would be suitable for production in the colder continental United States. One alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and 14 BFT cultivars were established during 2005 in MI, UT, WI, and WV and harvested under a two‐ or three‐cut management to determine herbage chemical composition in 2006 and dry matter yield (DMY) in 2006 and 2007. During 2006, variances in crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were mainly influenced by location‐harvest environments, while CT was influenced by both cultivar and environment. Earlier‐maturing cultivars such as Bokor, AU Dewey, Rodeo, and Grasslands Goldie produced herbage with relatively high CT concentrations, but not undesirably low CP or high NDF, ADF, and ADL concentrations compared with Norcen BFT or alfalfa. By the second full production year in 2007, total DMY in UT exceeded WI by twofold and MI by ninefold, and total DMY of the moderate CT‐containing cultivar Lotar surpassed most other cultivars, suggesting it may be well suited for forage production in the United States. Yields of alfalfa in all environments exceeded BFT by about 1.5‐fold. Additional studies are needed to identify optimal CT concentrations in BFT for ruminants and to improve the compositional uniformity and yield of harvested BFT in various environments.

Beneficial Effects of Temperate Forage Legumes that Contain Condensed Tannins

“…Birdsfoot trefoil is productive and persistent in the northern Mountain West [58], typically continuing to increase in DM yield for two years after planting [59]. In production-scale swards, mature BFT stands averaged approximately 7000 kg·ha −1 per year in the second and third year after planting [60], about two-thirds the DM yield of grazing types of alfalfa [59].…”

Protein and Dry‐Matter Degradability of European‐ and Mediterranean‐Derived Birdsfoot Trefoil Cultivars Grown in the Colder Continental USA

“…As described previously (Grabber et al, 2014), the cultivars were established at four locations (Michigan, Utah, Wisconsin, and West Virginia) during 2005 in a randomized complete block design with three replications per location. During the first full production year in 2006, plots were harvested twice in Michigan (20 June and 31 August) and West Virginia (20 June and 26 July) and three times in Utah (6 June, 12 July, and 24 August) and Wisconsin (1 June, 10 July, and 22 August).…”

“…Analyses for CP, total CT by a conventional butanol-HCl assay, and sequential NDF, ADF, and ADL (with sodium sulfite) were performed as described in a companion paper (Grabber et al, 2014). Analyses for CP, total CT by a conventional butanol-HCl assay, and sequential NDF, ADF, and ADL (with sodium sulfite) were performed as described in a companion paper (Grabber et al, 2014).…”

“…Analyses for CP, total CT by a conventional butanol-HCl assay, and sequential NDF, ADF, and ADL (with sodium sulfite) were performed as described in a companion paper (Grabber et al, 2014). Because of the strong relationship between the new assay and NIRS predictions and a desire to maintain consistency with our companion paper (Grabber et al, 2014), CT concentrations reported below were derived from NIRS predictions. Grabber and H. Riday, unpublished data, 2014), we found that estimates of total CT by an improved acetone-butanol-HCl assay were somewhat greater, but highly associated with NIRS predictions based on the conventional butanol-HCl assay (CT ABH = 1.30 + 1.17 CT NIRS , N = 30, R 2 = 0.96).…”

“…In our first publication (Grabber et al, 2014), we reported the drymatter yield (DMY), morphological characteristics, and chemical composition of herbage produced by 13 of these foreign-derived cultivars relative to Norcen and 'Spredor 4' alfalfa when harvested under a two-or three-cut management. In our first publication (Grabber et al, 2014), we reported the drymatter yield (DMY), morphological characteristics, and chemical composition of herbage produced by 13 of these foreign-derived cultivars relative to Norcen and 'Spredor 4' alfalfa when harvested under a two-or three-cut management.…”