Among the various green grass options, lucerne for cows is the most recommended for many reasons. This highly nutritious feed ingredient can especially be relied on to optimize livestock productivity, both meat and milk. Even so, you must know how to give it properly so that the cows don’t experience health problems.
Giving lucerne for cows has been very commonly carried out by breeders from generation to generation. This type of grass thrives in grasslands, so livestock can easily reach it when grazing. So, what are the benefits of giving lucerne to livestock, and can this feed ingredient be used as silage?
In this article, let’s talk about lucerne for cows, the rules for giving it, and how to make this green grass into silage. The provision of feed for cattle must be accompanied by a clear arrangement of the composition, until the right time of administration. Making silage based on lucerne is also very important to meet the supply of highly nutritious feed in lean seasons.
What is Lucerne Grass and its Benefits for Cattle
Lucerne is a feed ingredient that is known to be highly nutritious and very good for increasing productivity on farms. The cows can eat it fresh when it is grazed, or it can be made into silage. But you have to pay attention to how and how much it is given to livestock, so as not to pose a risk of death.
Do you already know what lucerne is and what are its characteristics? This green plant belongs to the legume family, so its roots can be relied upon to recycle nitrogen and enrich the soil with nutrients. This high-calorie feed includes perennial plants that thrive in the rainy season. In addition to feed, lucerne can also be used for medicine and cosmetology.
Important Facts about Lucerne for Cows
As a type of feed that is preferred by livestock, you must know various important facts about lucerne when you want to give it to cows. Insights about lucerne will be a reference so you can provide nutritionally balanced feed and not cause side effects. Let’s look at the following important facts about lucerne for cows:
Anatomy of Lucerne as an Ideal Feed for Livestock
Lucerne’s hardiness is so good that this evergreen plant lasts all year round. This is supported by good and adaptive anatomy. Lucerne is tough because it has a trunk and crown supported by a large taproot.
Roots can reach deep into the soil, thus functioning optimally as a means of storing nitrogen and carbohydrates. The roots also support the leaves to grow again easily after cutting or grazing.
Potentially Causes Bloating of Grasslands
The high protein content will create a stable foam in the cow’s digestive tract. This will make it difficult for livestock to burp because the rumen gas in the digestive organs is difficult to escape. In short, eating too much lucerne will cause acute bloating in livestock and potentially cause death.
Very Important Timing Lucerne for Cows
Bloating in cows after consuming lucerne, both by grazing and after making silage, can be prevented if you can adjust the time of feeding the cows. Avoid herding cows into the Lucerne fields, or giving Lucerne silage when the cows are very hungry. Lucerne should be used as a snack after you have provided a safe main feed.
Pay Attention to Lucerne’s Physical Condition
Giving lucerne to cows can increase productivity, and prevent livestock from bloating when lucerne is in full bloom. That is, you can drive your cows out into the fields of lucerne in the morning, but only when the morning dew has completely disappeared from the grass. Lucerne grass that is still wet will increase the cattle’s appetite for grazing and they will likely eat as much of the lucerne as they can, then become bloated and die.
Lucerne Silage for Cows
It can also be made into silage, starting by cutting the grass in the mid-afternoon or early evening. Lucerne is in dry conditions with a much higher concentration of vegetable carbohydrates. In the practice of cutting lucerne from pasture, make sure it is clean and the forage is not mixed with residue.
After cutting lucerne in the right way, please mix it with other forage grass, or other types of feed and concentrate according to the recommendations of livestock nutritionists. Continue this process by compacting the forage, then wrapping it with silage film in a round shape with a bale wrapper.
The wrapping process must be carried out using the correct technique, in layers, and using good quality silage film. This means that the silage wrapper must be resistant to tears and punctures, and can protect the silage from exposure to ultraviolet light. Making silage using lucerne for cows as raw material can be stored for three months to a year so you can have an adequate supply of feed in a lean season.