Evaluation of low-lignin alfalfa in mixtures with grasses

Forage nutritive value is a key component of profitable dairy production with forage fiber concentration and digestibility being critical, as high quality forages can reduce requirements for high-cost concentrated feeds. One approach and new technology developed to increase forage quality has been the release of high digestibility/lowlignin alfalfa cultivars, as alfalfa is the main forage legume used in eastern Canada. These cultivars overall have a lower lignin concentration and/or greater digestibility compared to standard cultivars and thus be harvested at a later stage of development, resulting in greater yields and potentially greater persistence. There is, however, currently to our knowledge very limited information on the benefit of using low-lignin/highly digestible alfalfa cultivars in mixtures with grasses. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Philippe Seguin

Student:

John Spurgeon Battu

Partner:

Discipline:

Forestry

Sector:

Agriculture

University:

Program:

Accelerate