Submitted to: Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference Proceedings
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/2016
Publication Date: 5/2/2016
Citation: Muir, J., Terrill, T., Mosjidis, J., Luginbuhl, J., Miller, J.E., Burke, J.M. 2016. Harvest Regimens to Maximize Sericea Lespedeza Crude Protein and Condensed Tannins. . 17.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Sericea lespedeza (SL; Lespedeza cuneata) is sold as hay or pellets for its crude protein (CP) and condensed tannin (CT) content, the latter to promote rumen bypass protein, depress methane emissions in livestock, and suppress gastro-intestinal parasites in small ruminants. Maximizing these forage components may depend on harvest regimen. We collected SL AU Grazer herbage samples in five states (Raleigh NC, Fort Valley GA, Tallassee AL, Baton Rouge LA, and Stephenville TX) during one growing season. We compared season-long averages from forage harvested at 35-d regrowth (35-d), 40-cm height regrowth (40-cm), and monthly accumulated (ACUM). The 35-d and 40-cm plants had 27% greater (P=0.05) CP (168 g kg-1) than ACUM forage; TX, the driest site, had lower (P=0.05) CP content than the others. Where there were differences (P=0.05) in CT content, ACUM plants were inferior to the other harvest regimens while forage in TX and AL had among the greatest values (up to 100 g kg-1 for 35-d in TX) compared to others (62.7 g kg-1 in LA). We do not recommend harvesting accumulated SL forage for optimum CP or CT. We advise that individual SL hay or pellet batches be assayed prior to sale because of the wide variability among locations and harvest regimens, especially for CT.