| Western Canadian producers will have a new forage crop in their arsenal next spring - fenugreek, an annual legume with diverse environmental and economic potential. | |
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Western Canadian producers will have a new forage crop in their arsenal next spring - fenugreek, an annual legume with diverse environmental and economic potential.
The first forage fenugreek variety for Western Canada will be aimed at the cattle industry, its largest potential market, says Dr. Surya Acharya, forage breeder at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Lethbridge Research Centre. In collaboration with Dr. Stan Blade of Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development, the Centre has developed several fenugreek lines for the region and expects the first commercial variety to be available to producers in 2003. "The shift to conservation farming practices and the steady expansion of the cattle industry has fuelled the demand for high-quality forage," says Acharya. "Our research has shown that fenugreek offers several advantages for both growers and livestock producers." Fenugreek is a popular food condiment in India and other eastern countries, says Acharya. He and colleagues have pioneered investigating the crop's potential for Western Canada over the past several years. Studies lead by Lethbridge animal nutritionist Dr. Zahir Mir show that fenugreek has similar nutritional quality to alfalfa and is a unique source of diosgenin, a natural growth-promoting hormone, says Acharya. There is anecdotal evidence that fenugreek also reduces the foul odour of manure. It makes good silage and could be used in mixtures with alfalfa. The crop compares well with alfalfa on several other fronts, he says. Both crops are high-quality legumes that boost the health and productivity of the land by fixing nitrogen in the soil. In trials, one cut of fenugreek silage yielded as much dry matter as two cuts of alfalfa. The crop has slightly less protein - 16 to 18 percent compared with 18 to 20 percent for alfalfa - but holds its quality much longer throughout the season, giving producers more flexibility for harvest. "Fenugreek won't compete directly with alfalfa because it's not a perennial, but it will fill an important niche as a high-quality annual legume," says Acharya. "Fenugreek can fit into short-term rotations that most perennial forages can't, so it provides another forage option to give producers more flexibility." In addition to diosgenin, fenugreek also contains compounds with oxytocin activity, a hormone that induces milk letdown in humans and animals, he says. This may lead to further use in dairy cattle. Weed control is a major challenge for fenugreek, but studies led by Lethbridge weed scientist Dr. Jim Moyer have identified herbicides and management strategies to overcome this hurdle. The Centre will be pursuing minor-use registration for using these herbicides with fenugreek. "Perennial forage crops tend to suppress weeds after the establishment year, but fenugreek is an annual legume, so high quality forage must be produced in one season," says Moyer. "Without herbicides, weeds can take up over 70 percent of dry matter, which is clearly unacceptable. But using the right herbicides in combination with good management will provide effective weed control."
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Lethbridge Research Centre has a mandate to promote innovation for growth, maintain security of the food system and protect the health of the environment. This research supports the Government of Canada's proposed aims in the new Agriculture Policy Framework.
Dr. Jim Moyer
Dr. Glenn Coulter
Lethbridge Research Centre
LETHBRIDGE RESEARCH CENTRE Acknowledgement: Communications sponsored in part by The Canada Alberta Livestock Research Trust Inc. |
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New Forage - 'Fenugreek' Variety Aimed at Cattle Industry
