Sericea Lespedeza
Dr. Dan Quadros - Small Ruminant Specialist
Sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata) is a widely adapted, non-bloating, warm-season perennial legume that can be used for grazing, hay, or as a conservation plant. It is a deep-rooted plant that, although it does best on deep, well-drained upland soils, can be grown on a wide range of soil types and sites. It is particularly well adapted to acid, infertile soils commonly found in the Southern US. Sericea lespedeza is tolerant of aluminum-toxic conditions; therefore, it is especially valuable in soils with a pH below 5.0 where aluminum toxicity is problematic. Once known as "poor man's alfalfa" because of its ability to tolerate infertile, acidic soils and grow well on sloping land with minimal lime and fertilizer inputs, with recent research on the potential health and environmental benefits of including sericea lespedeza in the diet of small ruminants, it may be time to change the nickname to "wise man's alfalfa", according to Dr. Tom Terrill (www.wormx.info/wisemans).
There are different varieties of sericea lespedeza, with low, intermediate, and high condensed tannin contents. Learn more about varieties and establishment at https://www.uaex.uada.edu/publications/pdf/FSA-3050.pdf
The AU Grazer is the most studied cultivar. It has intermediate condensed tannins content, thinner and pliable stems, and can tolerate grazing or more frequent clipping. The dry matter yield is 4 to 9 tons, depending on soil fertility.
Goats and sheep fed sericea lespedeza (grazing, hay, leaf meal, pellets, silage) decreased Fecal Egg Counts (FEC), larval development and worm burdens, showing potential to be used in an integrated parasite management program, particularly when dealing with barber pole worm. However, prolonged feeding (i.e., past six weeks) can lead to the binding of some trace minerals, reducing their availability to the animal. A recent paper written by Dr. Terrill described the American Consortium for Small Ruminant Parasite Control investigations on the use of plant secondary compounds of sericea lespedeza for the control of sheep and goat parasites. This paper is available at: https://www.revista.ccba.uady.mx/.../article/view/4542/2139
Besides the anthelmintic effects, condensed tannins in sericea lespedeza alter the fermentation products in the rumen, such as volatile fatty acids proportions and methane, which can increase feed efficiency. Methane, although necessary to remove the metabolic hydrogen in the rumen, represents energy loss in the digestion process and is an environmental concern as the most critical greenhouse gas related to ruminant production. A meta-analysis of the effects of dietary inclusion of sericea lespedeza on performance, digestibility, and rumen fermentation of small ruminants written by Andres Pech-Cervantes and others is available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/.../pii/S1871141321003152
According to these authors, dietary increase of sericea lespedeza linearly decreased total-tract digestibility and average daily gain, but also consistently decreased parasites in small ruminants, what means you need a balance to make the most of it. Based on that, the dose-response analysis revealed that lespedeza should not exceed 60% in the diet, which is a lot considering a regular diet. Not only sericea lespedeza has been proven to reduce barber pole worm but also coccidia (Eimeria spp.) in lambs and kids, according to Dr. Susan Schoenian (www.wormx.info/slcoccidia).
On the other hand, sericea lespedeza can be an unwanted species (classified as invasive) in some ecosystems. Unfortunately, this classification does not consider their economic value or usefulness in agricultural systems. Anyway, to get information on a commercial source of "AUGrazer" sericea lespedeza seeds and leaf meal pellets please visit: www.simsbrothers.com
Learn more about sericea lespedeza at: www.wormx.info/sl
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