by Ken Turner
USDA ARS, El Reno, Oklahoma
Establishing and maintaining legumes in pastures improves protein levels in the diet of grazing livestock. In addition, legumes generally have higher levels of several minerals (calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc) in comparison to grasses. These minerals can help maintain a healthy immune system in animals and thus improve tolerance to GI parasites.
Maintaining forages with high nutritive value (including increased
protein levels by utilizing legumes in pastures) helps to increase
resilience in sheep and goats to GI parasites. When grazing sheep and
goats on pasture, resilience can be defined as the animal’s ability to
tolerate higher GI parasite burdens and still remain productive (gain
weight; produce milk).
In a 2012 study, meat goat kids grazing alfalfa or red clover (legumes, high protein) pastures gained more weight compared to goat kids grazing orchardgrass pasture despite an increasing fecal egg count in all animals. Meat-goat kids grazing alfalfa or red clover appeared to be more resilient to GI parasites than goat kids grazing orchardgrass.
Use of legume pastures and use of rotational stocking grazing management can provide herbages with high protein and energy levels, helping reduce effects from GI parasitism (especially Haemonchus) in sheep and goats.
Read full article at wormx.info
USDA ARS, El Reno, Oklahoma
Establishing and maintaining legumes in pastures improves protein levels in the diet of grazing livestock. In addition, legumes generally have higher levels of several minerals (calcium, copper, magnesium, phosphorus and zinc) in comparison to grasses. These minerals can help maintain a healthy immune system in animals and thus improve tolerance to GI parasites.
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| USDA ARS Image |
In a 2012 study, meat goat kids grazing alfalfa or red clover (legumes, high protein) pastures gained more weight compared to goat kids grazing orchardgrass pasture despite an increasing fecal egg count in all animals. Meat-goat kids grazing alfalfa or red clover appeared to be more resilient to GI parasites than goat kids grazing orchardgrass.
Use of legume pastures and use of rotational stocking grazing management can provide herbages with high protein and energy levels, helping reduce effects from GI parasitism (especially Haemonchus) in sheep and goats.
Read full article at wormx.info
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