Leguminous Forage Crops in Sustainable Cattle Husbandry

Abstract

Within Europe, half the annual requirement for feed is provided by grass. However, although the EU is a net exporter of feed grain it is a substantial importer of protein and non grain feed ingredients. For several economical and ecological reasons there is a renewed interest to grow forage legumes and the European Union strengthen the role of protein-rich crops, by providing a supplementary payment for farmers producing these crops. In order to develop sustainable, legumebased live stock production systems, we need to understand the complex relationships that exist between herbivores and the plants they consume. To increase farmers confidence in the use of forage legumes, it is necessary to have more reliable establishment techniques and to reduce the variability in legume contribution within and between years, particularly for legumes in mixed swards.