GROWING different crops as cattle fodder would slash Britain鈥檚 dependence on
imported feed, say researchers in Wales.
Because of BSE, British farmers are banned from feeding meat and bone meal to
cattle. So unlike pigs, cattle shouldn鈥檛 get foot and mouth
through infected feed. But the ban has resulted in heavy reliance on imported
vegetable protein to supplement feeds.
Over the winter, farmers feed their cattle silage, made by fermenting grass.
Cows fed only grass-based silage produce 15 to 20 litres of milk per day. The
yield can be increased dramatically, to 25 to 30 litres, by adding 6 to 8
kilograms of protein concentrate to the cows鈥� daily rations. This means
importing around 1 million tonnes of soya and 175 000 tonnes of maize gluten a
year.
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Roger Merry, Raymond Jones and Michael Theodorou at the Institute of
Grassland and Environmental Research in Aberystwyth say farmers should make
silage from red clover instead. 鈥淲e could halve the imports of protein
concentrates and could substantially reduce fertiliser application,鈥� says Jones.
鈥淲e can produce safe food of consistent quality from home-grown crops.鈥�
The researchers have shown that cows fed half the normal amount of protein
concentrate produce almost as much milk as those on a full ration if the silage
they eat comes from red clover instead of grass. Of the home-grown legumes
available, such as beans, peas, lupins and lucerne, red clover is the best bet
because it will grow almost anywhere in Britain. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a very robust legume,鈥�
says Jones.
Growing red clover in rotation with grass could also reduce the amount of
silage required for the winter. Red clover can trap up to 300 kilograms of
nitrogen per hectare per year, while its powerful roots reinvigorate soil
trampled by grazing cattle. As well as reducing the need for fertiliser, this
improves grass growth, allowing cattle to graze outside for up to two extra
months each year. So the animals do better, as fresh grass is more nutritious
than silage.